ILO Türkiye strengthens social dialogue for decent work and fundamental principles and rights at work in the media sector

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Yasser Hassan, Director of the ILO Office for Türkiye.

ANKARA (ILO News) - The "Workshop on Decent Work and Fundamental Rights at Work in the Press, Broadcasting, and Journalism Sector" was held in Ankara on 11-12 June 2026 under the project "Strengthening Social Partners and Civil Society Capacities on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work" implemented by the ILO Office for Türkiye with financial support from the European Union.

The workshop convened representatives of sectoral trade unions, journalists and media organizations from across Türkiye, academics and representatives of relevant institutions to foster social dialogue on current challenges in the media sector. Over the two-day event, participants discussed journalists' working conditions, freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining, employment security, the impact of digital transformation, social protection, and the implications of these issues for media independence.

Decent work for journalists serves the public interest

Trade union representatives shared recommendations for addressing challenges in the media sector during the panel discussion.

Opening the workshop, Yasser Hassan, Director of the ILO Office for Türkiye, stressed that journalists and media workers, like all workers, are entitled to fundamental principles and rights at work and decent working conditions. He stressed that labour rights are an essential pillar of a free and independent media.

Hassan noted that digital transformation is reshaping the media sector through new forms of employment, creating particular challenges for freelance and remote journalists with regard to freedom of association, social protection and employment security. He underlined the importance of strengthening social dialogue and extending effective labour and social protection to workers in evolving forms of employment.

He further emphasized that advancing decent work and fundamental principles and rights at work in the media sector is essential not only for protecting workers but also for supporting an independent and free media environment.

Emre Dönmez, Senior Project Coordinator at the ILO Office for Türkiye, delivered a presentation on the ILO's framework on fundamental principles and rights at work.

Academic and legal perspectives

The Workshop on Decent Work and Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work in the Press, Broadcasting and Journalism Sector was held in Ankara on 11-12 June 2026.

Dr. Çağrı Kaderoğlu Bulut, faculty member at Ankara University's Faculty of Communication, presented "Labour Rights and Working Conditions of Workers in the Press, Broadcasting, and Journalism Sector," assessing the challenges journalists face in working life based on available data. He emphasized that secure employment, fair wages, and the right to organize are vital for the sustainability of the sector.

On the second day of the workshop, Prof. Dr. Refik Korkusuz, faculty member at Dokuz Eylül University's Faculty of Law, discussed media law and workers' social rights, sharing his views on the legal framework governing the press sector and its specific needs.

Trade unions shared recommendations

Maria Chiara Piazza, Programme Manager for Civil Society and Fundamental Rights, Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye.

A panel moderated by Esra İsen, Communications Officer at the ILO Office for Türkiye, brought together representatives of trade unions operating in the media sector to discuss current challenges and identify possible solutions.

The panel featured Sinan Özer, Deputy Chairperson of MEDYA-İŞ; Turgut Dedeoğlu, President of DİSK Basın-İş; Gökhan Durmuş, President of the Journalists' Union of Türkiye (TGS); and Nail Dertli, Chief Advisor to TÜRK-İŞ Basın-İş.

Panelists discussed key issues including freedom of association, occupational safety and health, and non-discrimination, while examining the particular challenges faced by young workers, women and interns. They also exchanged views on the growing prevalence of freelance work and its implications for working conditions and labour rights, the relationship between working conditions and press freedom, and the role of public policy, labour inspection and collective organization in promoting decent work in the sector.

Supporting future policy development

The workshop brought together representatives of trade unions in the press, broadcasting and journalism sector, academics, representatives of relevant institutions, journalists from across Türkiye and representatives of media organizations.

The recommendations and conclusions emerging from the workshop's roundtable discussions and group work will be compiled in an evaluation report. The report is expected to contribute to strengthening the rights of workers in Türkiye's press, broadcasting and journalism sector in line with international labour standards and to support the development of evidence-based policy recommendations for the sector.