The state of the media and democracy in Turkey faces critical challenges that hinder freedom of expression and pluralism, due to restrictive legal frameworks, economic instability, and cross-ownership in the media sector. Although digitalization has transformed news consumption, the government’s control over online platforms increases concerns about censorship and reinforces practices of self-censorship.
Public trust in the media continues to decline, driven by perceptions of political influence and biased reporting. Similarly, democracy is plagued with issues, as global rankings point to decline in Turkish democracy, while concerns about judicial independence persist. While elections with high voter turnout do occur, this may only be interpreted as a pattern of practicing democracy rather than a sign of democratic strength.
Urgent and comprehensive reforms are needed to ensure judicial independence, create a pluralistic media environment, increase transparency, and protect press freedom.
Here we list the main conclusions extracted from the report:
Restrictive Legal Frameworks: Laws such as the Turkish Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Law create the potential for widespread self-censorship in news production.
Economic Pressures:Rising inflation and economic instability erode journalists’ incomes, adversely affecting the sustainability of independent media.
Concentration of Media Ownership and Lack of Pluralistic Media: Media ownership in Turkey is concentrated in the hands of companies that have close ties to the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and are involved in public tenders. Laws and regulations must be amended to prevent cross-ownership, including ownership in non-media sectors. Additionally, Google’s algorithms heavily favour pro-government media in Turkey, significantly limiting the visibility of independent media outlets and those publishing content that challenges pro-government narratives.
Government Pressure:Regulatory mechanisms fail to prevent monopolies, and government control over advertisement distribution (e.g. through BİK) and sanctions by regulatory bodies (e.g. RTÜK) further restrict independent reporting. The public service broadcaster, Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), continues to reflect the government’s official stance.
New Regulations Impacting the Digital Media Environment: While digital platforms democratize access to information, laws like the 2020 social media law and the 2022 “disinformation law” (Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code) have increased government control over content. Access blocks to contents critical about the government given by Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) are also part of this control.
Declining Media Trust and Media Literacy: Public trust in the media is eroding due to political influence, further polarizing society. There is a critical need to improve digital media literacy skills.
Underrepresented Groups in News and Newsrooms: Not only dissenting voices but also women, LGBTIQ+ community, minorities, and non-Turkish communities are marginalized in the media, negatively impacting diversity. Gender inequality is evident in media organizations, and gender equality policies must be urgently developed across all media institutions.
Concerns About Judicial Independence and Transparency: The perception of a lack of judicial impartiality and transparency issues undermine public trust in democratic institutions. The transparency and fairness of online political advertising, especially during election periods, must be regulated and monitored.
Democratic Stagnation: Turkey’s position on the Global Democracy Index is showing a decline; while elections with high voter turnout do occur, this may only be interpreted as a pattern of practicing democracy rather than a sign of democratic strength.
Urgency of Reforms: To build democracy and independent media, reforms aimed at ensuring judicial independence, fostering a pluralistic media environment, enhancing transparency, and establishing effective self-regulation mechanisms must be implemented.
