(Including amendments accepted on 12 April 2003)

Article 1- A Press Council has been established with the endorsement of this Charter, consisting of Professional Principles of The Press herewith, with the purpose of defending the right of the public to know the truth which is a basic tenet of any free democratic system, and of assisting all members of the free and dignified press to further their professional practices in such manner.

Article 2- The Press Council is comprised of the following organs:

1- The Members’ Assembly of the Press Council (MAPC)

2- The Supreme Board of the Press Council (SBPC) The Press Council is managed by the Secretariat General which is headed by a Secretary General and staffed with adequate number of personnel.

THE MEMBERS’ ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESS COUNCIL

Article 3- The Members’ Assembly of the Press Council is composed of:

1- The following individuals provided that they have signed the Professional Principles of The Press, and The Membership Document of The Charter of the Press Council:

A- Members of the Press,

B- Representatives or owners of televisions, radios, or printed media,

C- Chairpersons and /or representatives of trade unions and employers’ union of the press sector,

D- Chairpersons and /or representatives of societies and/or associations of journalists and/or unions, federations and/or confederations of the sector,

2- Following individuals, regardless of the condition at Article 3, paragraph 1:

A- The Chairperson or a representative of the Union of Bar Associations,

B- Chairpersons or representatives of trade unions and employers’ unions, who have the highest number of registered members in the country,

C- Deans or representatives of Faculties of Communication studies,

D- 40 individuals who are elected for three years term by the Supreme Board of representatives of the readers.

Article 4- With the exception of members who are elected to represent the readers, no person, no organization or no institution who/which is not a member of the Press Council, may be represented in any organ of the Press Council or be empowered with any duty therein.

Article 5- The Members’ Assembly of the Press Council elects 20 members of the Supreme Board of the Press Council from among themselves, by means of secret ballot, 8 of whom are to be from the press sector (2 of whom are to be from the televisions, radios or print media outside Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa and Adana regions) and 12 of whom are to be from outside of the press sector.

Article 6- The Members’ Assembly of the Press Council assembles is presided by the Chairperson of the Council.

The ordinary annual meeting of The Members’ Assembly of the Press Council takes place once a year. In such meeting, the Secretary General submits his report of the activities of the Press Council to The Members’ Assembly.

The Members’ Assembly discusses issues deemed necessary by the Supreme Board of the Press Council, or by the proposal of no less than 10 members of The Members’ Assembly, and announces its resolutions to the public.

The Members’ Assembly of the Press Council does not debate any of the “Adjudications concerning Professional Principles of The Press” taken by the Supreme Board of the Press Council.

SUPREME BOARD OF THE PRESS COUNCIL

Article 7- The Supreme Board of the Press Council is comprised of the following members:

A- 20 members, 8 of whom are to be from the press sector (2 of whom are to be from the televisions, radios or print media outside Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa and Adana regions) and 12 of whom are to be from outside the press sector, as elected by The Members’ Assembly of the Press Council,

B- One representative, as determined by the owners of press organs, who is from a newspaper which has an average net daily sale of more than 100 thousands and who is an active journalist.

C- Owners of news agencies or their representatives provided news agency services at least five of the press organs with net daily sale of above 100 thousands copies or two radio and/or TV channels with a license to broadcast nationwide.

D- The owner, the general manager, or a representative of televisions or radios which have license to make nationwide broadcasts

E- The chairperson of the Press Council Solidarity and Development Foundation,

F- The chairpersons, or their representatives as elected by the Executive Boards of the three Press Associations, which have the largest number of members and which have previously undertook to abide with the Professional Principles of The Press, and with the Charter of the Press Council,

G- The chairperson, or a representative as elected by the Executive Boards, of that press sector trade union, which has the largest number of registered members,

H- The chairperson or a representative of, one association or union among those which represent press employers (of televisions, radios or printed media, with each constituting a separate category where necessary), as determined by the Supreme Board of the Press Council,

I- The right of assigning a member to the Supreme Board of the Press Council in accordance with paragraphs (B), (C), and (D) may only be used by one of the press organs belonging to the same media group.

The Supreme Board of the Press Council determines the criteria delineating the term “belonging to the same media group”. All previously gained rights remain.

Article 8- Members of the Supreme Board of the Press Council elect a Chairperson and a Deputy Chairperson from among themselves by means of secret ballot. The Chairperson is authorized to represent the Press Council. In the case of his/her absence, the Deputy Chairperson, and in the absence of the latter, the Secretary General is authorized to represent the Press Council.

Article 9- The Supreme Board of the Press Council has the discretion to elect a journalist as Chairperson Honoris Causa.

Article 10- All elected members of the Supreme Board of the Press Council have a term of three years in office. Those members may be re-elected.

The Supreme Board of the Press Council has the power to elect substitute members, from among the members of The Members’ Assembly of the Press Council to fill in positions vacated due to non-attendance of members three times in a row, or for another reason, who serve until the next ordinary meeting of The Members’ Assembly of the Press Council.

DUTIES OF THE SUPREME BOARD OF THE PRESS COUNCIL

Article 11- The duties of the Supreme Board of the Press Council are as follows:

A- To work for the expansion and for the realization of the scope of freedom of communication (press),

B- To protect the dignity of the press,

C- To investigate, without waiting for any specific complaint to arise, any general claim, that televisions, radios, print media or internet press has been rendered instrumental for private interests and is in contravention to common ethics,

D- To render decision on any issue deemed necessary by a member of the Supreme Board of the Press Council or the Secretary General, as being “in contravention of The Professional Principles of Press”,

E- To monitor, to assess, and to encounter all threats against the right of the public to know the truth, and against the freedom of communication (the press), and to summon the Members’ Assembly of the Press Council to take action pertaining to this purpose,

F- To adjudicate on complaints concerning professional practices before and during publication and broadcast,

G- To sever all ties with those who,

a) Use their profession for purposes of unethical personal gains,

b) Habitually insist on practices which harm the dignity of the profession, given that such individuals happen to own or work in press organs whose owner or editor-in-chief has signed the Membership Document,

H- To deputize member Press Associations to represent the Press Council in their region, to define their areas of duty and to arrange them to work closely with the Secretary General of the Press Council,

I- To undertake research concerning the press and to publish such research material if possible,

J- To undertake all other activities provided in this Charter and appropriated by unanimous vote of the Supreme Board,

Article 12- The Supreme Board of the Press Council assesses and adjudicates on all journalists and on all (televisions, radios, internet and print media) press organs against which complaints have been duly deposited with the Press Council on the basis of a claim of contravention of the Professional Principles of the Press.

Adjudications are completed in maximum two months beginning from the date of application.

Article 13- In order to handle any issue by The Press Council which concerns The Professional Principles of the Press, it is sufficient for any individual to duly deposit a complaint concerning such an issue.

Article 14- Organizations which have the mandate to represent a profession or a particular segment of the public and which duly deposit a complaint related to their area of representation will be attended to with regard to their area of representation.

Article 15- The Supreme Board of the Press Council determines all procedures pertaining to work, investigation, discussion and negotiation, and adjudications on complaints.

Article 16- Participation of 9 members obtains quorum. All decisions are taken by simple majority of present members. Each member has one vote. Votes reflect the personal opinion of the member. Abstentions are not accepted.

Decisions rendered by the Supreme Board of the Press Council are irreversible. There can be extraordinary objections within 15 days of the public announcement of a decision, only if a substantive error is detected or if it is being claimed that a proof has been overlooked during first review. In such a case, a committee consisting of the Chairperson, the Deputy Chairperson and the Secretary General submit a report concerning the objection to the Supreme Board of the Press Council. Such an objection may only be accepted with 2/3 vote in favor of those present.

Article 17- Unless decided otherwise, all aspects of Supreme Board deliberations and voting are secret. If the Supreme Board deems necessary, or if parties concerned so demand, then the Supreme Board may listen to the parties concerned or invite witnesses.

Any conclusive reconciliation achieved by the Secretary General between concerned parties does not hinder the Supreme Board from taking up the related issue.

Any opinion of and decision rendered by the Supreme Board concerning an issue which has been reconciled may be made public, as for other decisions by the Supreme Board.

Article 18- On the basis of a duly deposited complaint, the Supreme Board may render decisions of “There is no ground for the complaint" or “Reprimand” or “Censuring” vis a vis members, or organs, of the press. In cases initiated without a third party complaint, the Supreme Board of the Press Council may render decisions outside the above limitations.

Article 19- All decisions rendered by the Supreme Board of the Press Council is communicated to all member press organs and press institutions.

Publishing all decisions concerning their own conduct is, for all member press organs, an essential aspect of their pledge to comply with the Professional Principles of the Press.

FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 20- All press organs which endorse the “Professional Principles of The Press” and the “Charter of the Press Council”, shall publish the phrase “This ....... (newspaper, news agency, periodical etc.) promises to abide by the Professional Principles of the Press” (and the emblem of the Press Council, where and when possible) on each of its products and in a place where it can be easily seen.

Article 21- The Press Council undertakes or supports at least one scientific research project per annum on press and /or a related issue.

Article 22- Upon a proposal by the Secretary General, The Chairperson of the Supreme Board determines the qualifications, titles, and remuneration of all members of the staff of the Press Council. The power of termination and severance lies with the Chairperson of the Press Council.

Article 23- The Secretary General is a non-member of the Supreme Board, and is appointed by the Supreme Board upon a proposal by the Chairperson, preferably with at least 10 years experience in journalism. The Secretary General is a full-time remunerated employee of the Press Council.

The power of termination and severance of the Secretary General lies with the Supreme Board of the Press Council, upon a proposal by the Chairperson.

The Secretary General is accountable for the proper functioning of the Press Council and the Supreme Board of the Press Council, and for the attainment of the objectives of the Press Council.

All powers of discretion and execution, excepting those belonging to the Chairperson, belong to the Secretary General.

Article 24- The income of the Press Council derives from the following:

A) Membership Contributions:

1- Each print media organ that endorses “Professional Principles of The Press” and the “Charter of the Press Council” pays an annual membership fee equaling 10% of the annual average of its overall price multiplied by the daily equivalent of its average net annual sale.

The membership contributions for new endorsements are paid as monthly advances as based monthly net sales figures following the above criteria. Final calculation is done at the end of the year, based on the initial date of endorsement.

2- Annual membership contributions of news agencies amount to the Turkish Lira equivalent of 25% of the net monthly minimum wage paid during the previous year, multiplied by the number of journalists permanently employed under provisions of Law Nr. 212.

3- Annual membership contributions of televisions and radios and for publishing houses are determined by The Supreme Board of the Press Council in accordance with objective criteria.

4- Annual membership contributions of Journalists’ Associations and/or Journalists’ Unions shall be of an amount calculated by multiplying a unit share, determined at the beginning of the year by the Supreme Board, by the number of members of the Association and/or Union, provided that this unit share does not exceed 10% of net monthly minimum wage.

5- Contributions by individual members.

B) Bequeathals

C) Activities intended to obtain income to the Council, and income derived by the Press Council Solidarity and Development Foundation.

Article 25- The Members’ Assembly of the Press Council may assemble to amend or to alter the Professional Principles of The Press and/or the Charter of the Press Council, when called to assemble

A) By the Supreme Board of the Press Council,

B) By a joint call issued by 50 individual members proposing an agenda.

Any amendment or any alteration of the Professional Principles of The Press and/or the Charter of the Press Council is possible only with 2/3 vote in favor of members attending.

Provisional Article 1- Article 24 of this charter (concerning incomes) is valid as of the beginning of the year 1995.

Provisional Article 2- All provisions of Law Nr. 3984 dated 20 April 1994, Concerning Radio and Television Institutions And Broadcasts on the broadcast principles of audio and visual press organs remain in effect. Provisional Article 3- Those press institutions which have become a member of the Press Council prior to 1 January 1992, and which by that date had over 100 members themselves, enjoy the status of “Journalists’ Associations which have the largest number of membership” as provided in Article 7.

Provisional Article 4- The election of the 2 new “within-press-sector” members shall be carried out during the first ordinary meeting of The Members’ Assembly of the Press Council. The term of office of these members shall end together with the 6 previously elected within-press-sector members (during the ordinary meeting of The Members’ Assembly of the Press Council).

Article 26- The above text of the Charter of the Press Council is in effect as of 12 April 2003, together with all amendments and alterations decided upon and inserted to this text on 12 April 2003.