IP & TV Forum – ISTANBUL. Turkey is to introduce far reaching changes to its TV industry in a new media law. Speaking in the opening session of the IP & TV Forum Eastern Europe & EurAsia conference in Istanbul, Taha Yücel, a member of the Supreme Council of the regulatory body RTÜK, said that they include the raising of the direct foreign capital investment limit from 25% to 50%.
Limits on indirect foreign investment will also be lifted, though certain conditions will still apply.
The new legislation will in addition allow product placement and – also very significantly – fix the date of the analogue switch off in Turkey as three years following the enactment of the new law. Turkey has yet to launch a full DTT service, having so far only undertaken trials.
Other important points of the new law include an extension of the period of licences awarded by the RTUK to 10 years and a reduction of fees paid by broadcasters to the regulator from 5% to 3% of their gross ad revenues.
