The harmonization of Turkish television laws with the European Union television laws

Any candidate state for membership of the European Union (EU) should have fully complied with Copenhagen Criteria prior to membership. Turkey has finally won its status as a ''candidate state'' in 1999, following the Helsinki Summit, after its start of negotiations with the 1963 Ankara Agreement. Turkey has to harmonize its law with that of the EU in order to earn its full membership status. The EU, as it has in many areas, has created a wide range of policies. In terms of the media policy, the audio-visual policy bears specific significance due to its potential to influence society. The scope of the study includes the harmonization of Turkish television laws to the EU TV laws. Audio-visual harmonizations which are in particular within the perspective of Harmonization Laws Package that have been released since 2000 will be the focus of the study. In this context, a great many modification have been made with regard to the Television Without Frontiers Directive and the Audio-visual Media Services Directive concerning both Law Number 3984, and Law Number 6112 respectively. Various subjects have been taken into consideration, including broadcasts in different languages, advertisements, protection of the juvenile, tele-shopping, right to reply and rectification, sponsorship, media ownership being the ones in particular. As a consequence of the harmonization procedures which have been carried out, though progress has been made, some shortcomings such as the freedom of speech, right to reply and rectification, the ratio of foreigners' shares, and the structure of The Radio and Television Supreme Board (RTUK) still exist Key Words 1. European Union 2. Audio-Visual Policy 3. Television without Frontiers Directive, and Audio-Visual Media Services Directive 4. Freedom of speech and freedom of broadcasting 5. Progress Reports