Turkish Media Policy in National Context

Since the foundation of the press, the media in Turkey has had a symbiotic relationship with the state. The state's heavy involvement rendered the development of a "media policy" impossible, since the media did not exist as an independent realm to shape and be shaped by society and politics. Instead, it existed as a tool for both civilian and military governments to control and manipulate society. In the past two decades, the changes induced by the economic liberalisation of the early 1990s, the banking crisis of 2000-2001 and the European Union accession process produced a complex regulatory framework governing the media content and structure in Turkey. This chapter argues that, despite some progress, there are still significant legal infringements on media freedom in Turkey, where the media's economic and political dependence on the state continues