New Rules for Content Ratings in Television Programs

Amendments to the Regulation on the Procedures and Principles of Media Services ("Regulation") introduced new rules regarding the content rating for television programs. New rules immediately entered into force upon publication in the Official Gazette dated 13.06.2024 and numbered 32575. The new amendments are particularly relevant for news programs and, in some cases, live broadcast programs.

Highlights of the Amendments:

• It is regulated that the Content Rating System will be applied to all types of programs except sports competitions, religious ceremonies and commercial communication broadcasts. With this provision; especially news programs, which were previously outside the scope of the Content Rating System, have been included within the scope of the Content Rating System.
• If pre-recorded footage is included in live broadcasts, these footage will also be subject to marking, in other words "coding", in accordance with the Content Rating System. Live broadcasts that do not include pre-recorded footage will not be subject to coding.
• Series, movies, news bulletins, news programs and other programs broadcast in episodes can be coded and recorded in the system as a block at once, provided that there is no difference in content between episodes and pre-recorded footage within the program.
• In programs broadcast in episodes, where there is a difference in content between episodes and pre-recorded footage within the program, or where the coder deems it necessary, each episode and pre-recorded footage within the program will be coded separately.
• Individually coded programs will be broadcast at the time when the rating with the highest age category among the episodes and pre-recorded footage within the program can be broadcast. For example; a program coded as 7+ will be broadcast at any time of the day, a program coded as 13+ will be broadcast after 21.30, and a program coded as 18+ will not be broadcast outside the 24:00-05:00 interval.
• In news bulletins and news programs, all ratings prescribed by the system as a result of coding will be broadcast at the beginning of the program after the credits and following each interruption during the program duration.
• During the broadcast of pre-recorded footage in news programs, the ratings related to the content group and the ratings related to the age group, except for the General Audience and 7+, will be placed permanently in a suitable corner of the screen during the time the footage is displayed.

Evaluations

Within the scope of the Content Rating System, which is defined as an audiovisual warning system developed to protect children and young people against sexuality, violence, behaviors that may set a negative example and harmful content, television programs are coded in accordance with the Coders’ Application Guide published on Radio Television Supreme Board’s website and are marked with appropriate ratings to inform the audience about the content of the program.

Considering that news programs and live broadcast programs have a very important place among general television programs in terms of broadcast time and ability to reach the masses, it is considered appropriate to include these programs within the scope of the Content Rating System. Considering that the amendments regulate that different parts of the program should be coded separately if necessary and that the relevant parts should be marked separately with appropriate ratings, it is thought that Radio Television Supreme Board will continue its already strict content rating control in terms of news programs and will closely monitor news programs.