July 26, 2024
The Chairman of Turkey's Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), Ebubekir Şahin, called on music channels to review their content, emphasizing that music videos featuring excessive sexual content and nudity conflict with moral values. In a Twitter statement on July 26, Şahin reminded broadcasters of RTÜK's authority.
According to MLSA data, in 2023, RTÜK imposed fines totaling 523,000 lira on music broadcasters over seven instances. Among those fined was PowerTürk FM, which received an 85,738 lira penalty for airing the music video "Derin Mevzular" by Murat Boz.
In his statement, Şahin claimed that music videos often exceed the boundaries of morality and decency. He urged broadcasters to promptly address content that contradicts Turkish traditions, beliefs, and societal and cultural values within their internal mechanisms to align with broadcasting principles.
In 2023, RTÜK fined five music broadcasters: NR 1 TÜRK, PowerTürk, Virgin Radio, Mavi Karadeniz, and Ekintürk TV. The fines were imposed for reasons including the depiction of sexual elements, violence, use of tobacco products, and use of slang language. The total fines amounted to 523,424 lira.
PowerTürk fined for Murat Boz video
One of the notable fines in 2023 involved Murat Boz's music video "Derin Mevzular." RTÜK's decision cited the video’s portrayal of Boz in dual roles and a character overcoming anxiety solely through intimate encounters, which was deemed harmful to the moral development of children and young people. As a result, Power FM was fined 85,738 lira on August 9, 2023.
RTÜK has been actively monitoring content to ensure it adheres to Turkey's moral and cultural standards, a move that continues to generate significant discussion among broadcasters and the public.
