Media Still has Serious Problems

TGC head Erinc said that the Labor Ministry would finalize its preparations on the Press Labor Law in 2005 and expressed hope that the medias problems will be solved. The amendments to the TCK indicate that were not going to have a good year, he told.

Erol Önderoğlu

Although Orhan Erinc, the president of Turkish Journalists' Association (TGC), thinks there have been some positive press reforms in 2004, he isn't hopeful about the year 2005.

According to Erinc, the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which will go into effect in April 2005, has some unfavorable regulations for the press. The new penal code, contrary to the Press Law, reverts to handing out prison sentences instead of fines, and allows resorting to the penal code besides penalties, such as suspension of broadcasts, by the Radio and Television Higher Board (RTUK).

"If journalists were provided with jobs and social security, such complaints would be minimized."

According to Erinc, it is important that reporters now have the right not to disclose sources and cannot be forced to testify, under the new law. "But this has left us with an incomplete outcome," said Erinc.

"Since media workers at radios and televisions are subject to a different law, they won't be able to benefit from these rights."

"Since broadcasting principles were transferred to the TCK, radios and televisions will be subject to fines, suspension of broadcasts, and warnings by RTUK, as well as prison terms by legal jurisdiction under the TCK," Erinc added.

Talking about media ownership, Erinc reminded that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "We don't approve bank owners to also own media organizations." He added that businessmen have owned media organizations in Turkey since 1950s. "The legal vacuum and the lack of job security has made media more susceptible to manipulation by owners," said Erinc. (EO/EA/YE)

Erol Önderoğlu

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İstanbul Üniversitesi Fransız Filolojisi Bölümü'nden mezun. 1996'da muhabiri olduğu uluslararası Sınır Tanımayan Gazeteciler (RSF) örgütünün Türkiye temsilcisi olarak çalışıyor. 1999'dan beri İPS İletişim Vakfı'nın projesi olan bianet sitesinde, Hukuki Destek Masası koordinatörü, ifade özgürlüğü editörü ve yayın yönetmeni olarak çalıştı. 4.800'den fazla imzalı haber ve makalesi bulunuyor. Bizim Gazete ve Güncel Hukuk dergisi için haber ve makaleler yazdı. Halen bianet'te Medya Gözlem Raporları'nı hazırlıyor.