Türkiye's media authority fines three TV outlets over earthquake coverage

Photo: AA

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has fined three TV outlets because of their broadcasts about the February 6 earthquakes.

FOX TV received a fine because of the remarks of the moderator of a discussion program that the disaster management agency was preventing aid from other entities. The outlet was handed a maximum amount of administrative fine.

The council imposed five broadcast bans on Halk TV because of the "Great Disaster Special Broadcast" program.

The reason for the fine was the remarks of Ahmet Şık, an MP with the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP), which, according to the council, violated a provision in the RTÜK Law that "Broadcast services cannot be against the existence and independence of the Republic of Türkiye and the inseparable integrity of the nation and the country."

The council also imposed a maximum amount of an administrative fine on Halk TV because of the claims of "systematic looting and thievery" in the quake-hit region during a broadcast.

TELE1 also received a maximum amount of fine because "rumors were conveyed as if they were the truth" during a program.

"Betrayal of the profession"

İlhan Taşcı, an RTÜK member from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), criticized the penalties in a tweet, saying, "not conveying the truth, not making the outcry of thousands of our citizens heard, is wrong, a crime and the betrayal of the profession of journalism."

Orhan Konuralp, another RTÜK member from the CHP, accused the RTÜK of "trying to suffocate press freedom."

Parties with a group in the parliament select the members of the RTÜK, where the ruling alliance has the majority.

Press freedom groups have long criticized the council for implementing punitive measures against outlets known to be critical of the government.

On February 6, magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes struck Maraş city in southern Türkiye, destroying hundreds of thousands of buildings in 10 provinces. According to the latest figures from the authorities, the death toll stands at 42,310. (HA/VK)