President Şahin:” “Please do not put content in front of the society that you would not let your own children or family watch.”

The summit, organized under the leadership of RTÜK, marked the call for social responsibility in media content.

Organized under the auspices of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), the “Empowered Media for A Conscious Society Summit “was completed with the second day sessions. The summit brought critical topics such as broadcasting ethics, digital platforms, the relationship between family structure and media, protection of children and sensational journalism to the agenda.

The summit, hosted by RTÜK in cooperation with Ankara University, Başkent University, Ankara Bilim University, Istanbul Family Foundation and Türkiye Youth Clubs Confederation, was organized to evaluate the social impact of media content and to develop new recommendations to guide broadcasting policies in Turkey.

The closing session of the summit was held at Bilkent Hotel and Conference Hall. RTÜK President Ebubekir Şahin delivered strong messages to the media world in his speech here. Emphasizing that broadcasting is not only a technical activity but also an area of public responsibility, Şahin drew attention to the need to strengthen the understanding of ethical broadcasting.

“Please do not put content in front of the public that you would not let your own children or family watch,” Şahin said, adding that a more sensitive approach to broadcasting is expected, especially with regard to daytime programs and digital content.

The summit was attended by media representatives, communication academics, non-governmental organizations, youth representatives and audience organizations. During the event, today's media order and the broadcasting principles of the future were discussed in a multi-dimensional manner.

During the sessions, President Şahin shared the outputs of different table studies with the public. The final reports of the groups working under the titles of Daytime Programming, News, Series, Digital Platforms, Commercial Broadcasts, Sports/Health/Environment, Youth and Audience offered suggestions that will reshape the media-policy relationship.

In his closing speech of the summit, Şahin noted:

“Media, Carrier of Culture, Shaper of the Mind, Generator of Values”

I would like to express my great pleasure to come together under the theme “Strong Media, Conscious Society”. I firmly believe that this summit will generate important ideas that will shape not only the media of today but also the media of the future. On this platform, we are once again reaffirming our belief that together we will build a stronger media and a more informed society. Today, the media is not limited to its function of providing news or entertainment. It plays a critical role as a carrier of culture, a shaper of the public mind and a generator of social values. The proper use of this power nurtures democracy, raises individual awareness and strengthens social cohesion. However, when used incorrectly, it can trigger segregation, polarization and information pollution. At this point, broadcasters, content producers and viewers have a great responsibility. Responsible content production is not only a broadcasting activity but also a social duty. In particular, issues such as protecting children, supporting the family structure and preventing violence and hate speech must be addressed with a common will. Each of us here today is a valuable part of this common will.”

New Roadmap for Children's Content: “Stop Fast Fiction and Overstimulation”

Due to the prevalence of fast-paced fiction, over-stimulation and themes that weaken family ties in children's content, it is important to encourage productions approved by child development experts.

Reality Programs Mislead Young People: Emphasizing Healthy Role Models

President Şahin said that another outcome of the workshop was that reality programs create unhealthy ideals of fame and success in young viewers. Şahin emphasized the need to highlight the themes of solidarity and labor instead.

Digital Platforms: The New Balance of Freedom and Responsibility

“Regarding digital platforms, the creation of community-based advisory boards, transparency of algorithms and the development of family-friendly modules, and the declaration of a positive content mobilization in times of crisis were also noted as important recommendations.”

No Pass for Manipulation

“In news reporting, it was stated that sensational content should be reduced and constructive and solution-oriented news language should be encouraged. It was also emphasized that individual opinions should not be attributed to the society at large in street interviews. RTÜK President Ebubekir Şahin stated that RTÜK is conducting a study on random street interviews. No one should try to manipulate this area.”

Certificates for Family Friendly Content on the Agenda

“The proposal for a “Family Friendly Certificate” for family-friendly content was brought to the agenda, and it was stated that productions with this certificate should be provided with financial incentives and broadcasting advantages.”

“I would like to thank our Minister of Family and Social Services, Ms. Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, who, with the declaration of 2025 as the “Year of the Family”, steered the work in this field with her policies to strengthen the family structure.”

Inspiration from International Practices: Strengthening Media Literacy Education

“Inspired by international examples, we have received requests for social impact assessments and broadcast time restrictions for violent content, which we will put on our agenda.  Policies such as media literacy training were presented as practices that can serve as an example for our country. In this context, I would like to thank the Minister of National Education, Mr. Yusuf Tekin, for his contributions to mainstreaming media literacy and integrating it into the education system. With the support of the Minister, important steps are being taken to develop critical media awareness, especially among children and youth.”

Daytime Program Broadcasting: Warning and Clear Message

“These programs were the most discussed topic at yesterday's workshop. At the same time, it is one of the most intensive complaint issues received by the Supreme Council. Unfortunately, these programs are also among the most watched programs. In such programs, privacy violations occur and themes of violence are frequently brought up.

In the workshop, it was suggested that live broadcasts should be abolished, fictional characters should be banned and a positive content requirement should be introduced to reduce this content. I would like to express that we have taken a positive approach to all these suggestions and we are working on them. Please do not put content in front of the public that you would not let your own children or family watch. Act in accordance with RTÜK's principle decisions; otherwise, the future of these broadcasts will not be different from the fate of the marriage programs that were previously taken off the air.”

Emphasis on “Media Should Draw Its Power from Ethics”

“We have a lot to talk about and many issues to solve. However, our main goal is to ensure that the recommendations that come out of this summit do not remain just as ideas, but are reflected in our legislation, audit system and awareness-raising activities. Let us not forget that the media is strengthened not only by its technical capabilities, but also by its respect for society, the responsibility it bears and its ethical stance. I hope that the opinions and suggestions put forward will guide the media policies of our country.”

Following President Şahin's speech, Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş and Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin also attended the summit and delivered speeches.

Minister Göktaş: “The summit offers a strong roadmap for media policies”

Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş emphasized that the “Empowered Media for A Conscious Society Summit” is an important step in terms of media policies. In her speech at the summit, Göktaş stated that the event offered concrete solution proposals on media ethics and social responsibility awareness and thanked all institutions and contributing partners.

“Today, we are together to talk about the impact of media content, daytime and magazine programs, TV series, news, health, sports, environment, programs on society. Media is everywhere in our lives, in the phones in our hands, on the TVs in our living rooms, in the morning news, in the TV series we watch in the evening, in our children's cartoons. In the past, we used to think of the media as a mirror that reflects society, but now we know that the media not only reflects, but also shapes, influences our emotions. It even changes our behavior. "In the right hands media can be a great tool for good; however, in the wrong hands the same power becomes a divisive and even harmful tool that erodes social values.” Göktaş started his speech by drawing attention to the role of media in social transformation.

Minister Göktaş stated that decisive steps have been taken not to turn violence into a rating element in the media and announced that they will promote a family-friendly media approach within the scope of the Year of the Family 2025. Göktaş wished that the Year of the Family 2025 would lead to the widespread use of media content that protects family values and supports the development of children.

Minister Tekin “Media literacy is a fundamental skill that should be acquired at an early age”

In his speech, Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin emphasized the importance of the media literacy cooperation with RTÜK. He stated that it has become one of the necessities of the age for children and young people to gain the ability to critically filter media content.

Minister Tekin stated that they want to take concrete steps to save children and young people from media addiction and said that the media has gone from being the fourth estate to a platform that produces toxic content.  Expressing his concern about the direction of the media, Minister Tekin underlined the need for political roles, officers of the court, artists and all segments of society to fight against media addiction. Minister Tekin stated that they attach importance to the media literacy activities carried out together with RTÜK.  Stating that they produce content for the Education Informatics Network together with RTÜK in this context, Minister Tekin said: “Media literacy is not only a technical skill, it is the basis for understanding the social context. This consciousness should be raised at an early age in our education system. We continue to work with RTÜK in a way that we can consider the media as a part of a strong society and a conscious society so that our children can use the media in a healthy way and benefit from the media without being addicted to it. I would like to thank the RTÜK family on the occasion of the summit.”

Summit Ended with Digital Poster Contest and Panel Session

The second day of the summit was completed with a panel session titled “The Impact of Negative Content in Media”. At the end of the day, the winners of the Digital Poster Contest were announced and the winners were handed their awards.