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EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA: TURKEY

THE NEW FRONTIERS ON TV BROADCASTING: BLURRED SMOKING SCENES
Authors: Uğur Aktekin, Mehmet Gün & Partners

The Law 4207 (November 2, 1996), "Law on Prevention of the Damages of Tobacco Products" has been amended by a new law numbered 5727, "Law on Prevention and Control of the Damages of Tobacco Products" (January 3, 2008), with regard to the prohibition of smoking in public places, workplaces and on public transportation vehicles. As to the referenced law, individuals who smoke in the above cited locations will have to pay a penalty which should deter smoking in these areas. Most of the provisions of the law took effect on May 19, 2008; while the provisions prohibiting smoking in cafes, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and the like will be in effect as per as of July 19, 2009.  The repercussions seem as though they will be significant.

With respect to the media sector, the referenced law has crucial effects such as; any advertisements or presentations with regard to tobacco products and the production firms by the way of using the trade names and brands of such are strictly prohibited. Moreover, the tobacco products and any of their images shall not be shown in television programs, cinema films, TV serials, music videos, advertisements and presentation / advertising films. In line with the last mentioned prohibition, the images of any of the tobacco products shall not be used and shown on TV and on the movie screen which constitutes a huge restraint for cinema and TV program producers and also film directors. Acting contradictory is fined as mentioned above.

As a result of this prohibition, the broadcasters have developed a strategy by the way of using blurred screen demonstration for the scenes containing any smoking stuff. However, coming to its reflections in media, most of the leading names in TV and cinema sectors are not happy with this law and such current frontiers, as well as the audience, since the reality element of the work is dramatically damaged by this restraint. In other words; in order to keep the audience within the broadcasted film or serial, the characters, their actions and the scenario must be convincing. However, due to such prohibition, any kinds of scenes on TV, regardless of its nature, containing an element of smoking are being broadcasted as blurred screen demonstrations which are seriously interrupting the program.

The effects of such demonstration may be assessed from two different points of view. As mentioned above, the leading names in the TV and cinema sectors are not comfortable with this demonstration strategy, while the audience is also disturbed by the use of the blurred screen due to the same reason as the interruption of the program. Such demonstrations become more disturbing and also ridiculous with regard to the scenes wherein the smoking demonstration is essential such as the legendary cinema film, "the Godfather". The blurred screen demonstration in the smoking scenes frustrates the enjoyment of the audience and creates a vague position as well whether such smoke belongs to a cigarette, a drug or another sort of thing. Moreover, where the audience already knows that there is smoking stuff in that scene, it becomes inevitable to satirize such demonstration as having no effect while banning something.

Interestingly, the Advertisement Board in Turkey construes the blurred screen demonstrations used on certain television channels as implying that such blurring was intended as a protest by broadcasters against the Advertisement Board and a way of getting the viewing public on their side.

From a legal and social point of view, the smoking prohibition seems logical and reasonable for the widely broadcasted TV serials and advertisement films since they target broad masses. However, as to the audience, it should always be kept in mind that the prohibition should be implemented to a certain extent in order not to miss the reality.

Consequently, it should be admitted that the above mentioned law seems to become very effective in our daily lives where the mechanism functions properly and also to motivate the smokers to give up smoking; which will relieve the non-smokers and the passive smokers as well. However, looking from the audience’s side, it seems a little bit complicated and bothersome indeed; so time will show the further developments in relation to the smoking prohibition and the blurred scene demonstration.