32. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for political parties?
Turkey
52. (Change: 17/5/1979 - 2234/1 art.)
(Change: 10/6/1983 - 2839/46 art.) notwithstanding the provisions in private laws, political parties attending to elections are allowed to make propaganda on radio and television beginning with the seventh days before the voting day till 18.00 one day before the elections.
(Change: 23/5/1987 - 3377/3 art.) Political parties attending to elections;
a) First day 10, last day not exceeding 10 days two speeches explaining their programs and scheduled works,
b) For political parties that have groups in Assembly, additional ten minutes,
c) (Change: 27/10/1995 - 4125/4 art.) Governing party or biggest of the governing parties 20 minutes, other governing parties additional 15 minutes.
d) To main opposition party additional 10 minutes of right to propaganda is given.
Source: Article 52, Law on Basic Provisions of Elections and Voter Registers, 1961 (amended 2018)
The government is entitled to use a monthly 30-minute slot on both state and private television channels to promote government activities without the right of reply or carrying any political objective.
Source: Article 19, Law on Radio and Television Institution of Turkey (TRT), 1983 (amended 2018)
The political parties' propaganda speeches can be broadcast by private channels in accordance with the rules which are in effect for TRT.
Source: Article 55/A(last), Law on Basic Provisions of Elections and Voter Registers, 1961 (amended 2018).
The law provides for paid political advertisement during the campaign, but the lack of campaign expenditure limits contributed to parties having unequal opportunities to reach the voters. The law grants each parliamentary party 20 minutes of free airtime on the public broadcaster, with an additional 10 minutes reserved for the ruling party.
Source: OSCE/ODIHR (2017), Republic of Turkey, Constitutional Referendum 16 April 2017, OSCE/ODIHR Limited Referendum Observation Mission Final Report, OSCE/ODIHR, Warsaw
The Law on Basic Provisions provides parties contesting the elections with free airtime during the last seven days of the campaign and with the right to purchase advertising time. The public broadcaster followed its legal obligation to provide free airtime.
Source: OSCE/ODIHR (2015), Republic of Turkey, Early Parliamentary Elections, 1 November 2015, OSCE/ODIHR Limited Election Observation Mission Final Report, OSCE/ODIHR, Warsaw
The amount of the free airtime depends on the status of the party. It is different for the parliamentary parties and ruling and opposition parties.
The government is entitled to use a monthly 30-minute slot on both state and private television channels to promote government activities without the right of reply or carrying any political objective.
