Media watchdog in Turkey on Wednesday (February 22) fined three broadcasters over their coverage of recent, devastating earthquake in the country. The three channels are known for editorial line critical of Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Halk TV, Tele 1, and FOX were all handed fines. These fines were calculated based on their revenue for the month preceding to the said infractions.
The news channels reported shortcomings in government’s earthquake response. The earthquake has killed more than 42,000 people in Turkey.
Erdogan unleashed a sweeping crackdown after a failed coup in 2016 that placed much of the media under the control of the government and its business allies.
He will seek re-election this year, and his administration’s handling of the deadly quake has become a key battleground issue.
The criticism has been spearheaded by the main opposition leader who is running neck and neck with Erdogan in opinion polls.
In October, Turkey passed a law that punishes dissemination of “fake news” with three years in prison.
According to Reporters Without Borders, Turkey ranked 149 out of 180 for press freedom in 2022.
Halk TV and Tele 1 were fined five percent of their January revenues, Ilhan Tasci, a member of the Radio and Television Supreme Council watchdog’s board who was nominated by opposition parties, wrote on Twitter.
They were also ordered to suspend one of their daily programmes for five day Halk TV and FOX TV were also fined three percent of their January turnover for separate infractions, he added.
“All these penalties were based on comments and news after the earthquake,” he wrote.
“We live in a time when reporting is considered a crime.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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