Turkey’s broadcasting watchdog has fined two national television stations over separate broadcasts, citing vulgar language in a live program and content deemed contrary to “national and moral values,” Turkish Minute reported.
The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) said the pro-opposition Halk TV was fined 2 percent of its monthly revenue over comments made by veteran journalist Uğur Dündar during a live broadcast of “Para Siyaset” (Money Politics), a program discussing the recent resignation of Mesut Özarslan, a district mayor in Ankara, from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
According to RTÜK, Dündar quoted a past courtroom defense by the late poet Can Yücel that included an explicit reference to the buttocks.
The council ruled that the language used during the broadcast was vulgar.
Under Turkish law, RTÜK fines are calculated as a percentage of a broadcaster’s gross monthly revenue in Turkey, meaning penalties increase with the size of the company.
In a separate decision, NOW TV was fined 3 percent of its monthly revenue over three episodes of its drama series “Kıskanmak” (Jealousy).
RTÜK said the series “intensively” portrayed extramarital relationships and infidelity in a manner that violated national and moral values, public morality and the institution of the family.
RTÜK board member Tuncay Keser, who represents the CHP on the council, criticized the sanctions.
Writing on X, he said impartiality was a fundamental criterion not only for broadcasters but also for RTÜK itself. Although similar content was aired by numerous outlets, he said, “The constant punishment of the same stations casts a shadow over impartiality.”
The regulator has long faced criticism from opposition politicians, journalists and media rights groups who argue that broadly worded morality and public values provisions are used to target content that conflicts with the government’s conservative and political priorities, while comparable broadcasts by pro-government stations often go unpunished.
RTÜK’s board members are appointed in proportion to parties’ representation in parliament, meaning the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) currently holds the majority on the council.
Turkey, which has been suffering from a poor record of freedom of the press for years, ranks 159th among 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 2025 World Press Freedom Index.
