Insight Into The Turkish Broadcasting Sector And

The New Media Law

International High-Level ConferenceSarajevo, 14-15 October 2010

Taha YÜCELMember of Radio and Television Supreme Council

RTÜK

Broadcasting Sector Regulator

o In 1994, Radio and Television Supreme Council was set-up with the Law number of 3984, 9 members, elected by TBMM

o Responsible for the regulation of all radio and television broadcasters all across Turkey in both technical and content aspects,o Frequency allocationso Licensingo Content monitoring

o www.rtuk.gov.tr

TV Households18 million

Broadcasting Companies Registered to RTÜKSatellite, Cable, Terrestrial total: 1273

Cable Platform (June 2010)1,174,000 analog, 120,000 digital subscribers

Satellite Platforms (June 2010)2 platforms with total 2.8 million subscribers

Total Ad revenue of national television stations (declared to RTÜK, TL):

2008 2009 2010 (8 months)

1,215,135,596.85 1,078,268,063.26 986,595,216.89

Broadcasting Sector in Turkey

Source: RTÜK

Broadcasters in Turkey

SatelliteSatelliteTV 148Radio 54

CableTV 78

Terrestrial TV Radio

National 24 35Regional 15 98Local 210 929Total 249 1062

Source: RTÜK

Current Problems of The Broadcasters

o Unlicensed terrestrial frequencies.o Scattered terrestrial transmitter towers.o 5 years license period.o 5% + 5% of gross ad revenue payment.o Trust issues in rating measurements.o No deadline for the sanctions.o Ad restrictions – placement, political ads.o Restrictions for foreign capital and IPO.o Content monitoring of the public broadcaster.

o Less restrictions for the broadcaster shareholder companies.

o Direct foreign capital share limit will be increased to 50%.o Shares of the media service provider corporations can be

traded in the stock market.o Control of monopolization – sectoral income and

partnership.o Gross ad revenue RTÜK share will be reduced to 3%.o License period will be extended to 10 years.o Regulation of political ads and product placement.o Less restrictions for ad placements.

The New Media Law – Economical Aspect

o Radio and TV frequency planning and allocations will be performed by RTÜK.

o Terrestrial transmitter facilities will be installed and operated by a single company.

o Analogue TV will be switched off within three years.o Multiplex, platform, cable and satellite broadcast

operators will be regulated.

The New Media Law – Technological Aspect

o Compliance with EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive.

o Self-regulation for broadcasters. o Limiting volume level of commercials.o No effects and music in the news. o Regulation of the public broadcaster.o The gray areas between RTÜK and BTK are clarified.o Legal framework for protective symbol system.

What Brings the New Media Law?

The End