Critical election warning from RTÜK to broadcasters!

There are only a few days left until the March 31, 2024 local elections.

Following the start of election bans as of March 21, a warning has come from the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) to broadcasting organizations.

In the statement made by RTÜK, it was reminded that polls cannot be published 10 days before the election.

The statement from RTÜK is as follows;

“As we have entered the final 10-day period before the local elections to be held on March 31, we find it useful to make some reminders regarding radio and television broadcasts. The rules for propaganda that political parties and candidates will conduct through broadcasts during the elections have been determined and announced by the Supreme Election Council. However, it has been observed during the meticulous broadcast audits by RTÜK monitoring experts that our broadcasting organizations sometimes violate the established rules during the intense election agenda.

Political parties and candidates participating in the election will be able to conduct verbal, written, and visual propaganda through the media until 18:00 on March 30, 2024. There is no objection to media service providers broadcasting political advertisements until 23:59 on Friday, March 29, 2024.

Within the 10 days before the voting day, it is prohibited to broadcast or distribute in any way, through written, verbal, and visual press and broadcasting tools, public opinion research, polls, estimates, or mini-referendums via information and communication phones, in favor of or against a political party or candidate, or in a way that would influence the vote of the citizen.

Furthermore, it is very important that the broadcasts made until the election day comply with the principles of impartiality, reality, and accuracy. Especially in news bulletins and news programs where guests and commentators are invited, no accusations containing slander or insults should be made against political party leaders or candidates participating in the election. Comments and statements that target a specific voter base, are derogatory, or exceed the limits of criticism should not be included in broadcasts. During this process, broadcasters and journalists must act in light of universal press professional principles and must not take sides.”