Turkey’s media watchdog fines opposition channels for quake broadcasts

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Turkey’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has fined opposition broadcasters Halk TV, Tele 1 and Fox TV over their broadcasts which showed negligences that have reached the level to require criminal investigation after the earthquake.

The fine was made public by RTÜK member İlhan Taşçı on social media. Taşçı said that RTÜK had issued a monetary fine for Halk TV, Tele 1 in the amount of five percent of their annual revenue, and suspended their program in question for five episodes.

RTÜK issued a monetary fine for Fox TV in the amount of three percent of their annual revenue.

RTÜK's fines were described as punishing broadcasts that showed “negligences that have reached the level to require criminal investigation after the earthquake.” 

RTÜK head Ebubekir Şahin on Feb. 22 shared the footage of remarks that the Council fined.

In the first video from Halk TV, Workers’ Party (TİP) lawmaker Ahmet Şık says in the aftermath of the Feb. 6 earthquakes that “Thinking the state is sacred is wrong. After today's picture, it is right to be the enemy of such a state in this country.”

In other videos, Merdan Yanardağ, the editor-in-chief of Tele1 TV, criticizes the “center-right conservative governments in Turkey” for not preparing the country for earthquakes. 

Yanardağ also criticized the zoning amnesty that was enacted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which increased the extent of the destruction caused by Feb. 6 major earthquakes in southeastern Turkey, and said “This is an immoral relationship. This is bribery. ‘You vote for me, I'll forgive your illegal building, your unscientific building,’ they say.”

In another video, Deniz Zeyrek on Fox TV says “I wish drones were used to photograph the quake-stricken provinces to help the rescue efforts,” and Murat Yetkin answers “This was done. (The government) made an Israeli company do it.”

Another RTÜK member Onur Konuralp said RTÜK deemed Ahmet Şık’s remarks “contrary to the indivisible integrity of the state,” whereas Yanardağ’s remarks “inciting hatred and hostility among the public.”

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