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Journals / Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences / 2026 / Sayı: 70

'Spotlights on set workers': Working conditions in the Turkish film and TV industry

Set çalışanları spotlar altında': Türk film ve dizi sektöründeki çalışma koşulları

Abdullah Erol(ISTANBUL UNIVERSITY)0000-0003-1018-1602
Emine Kübra Usta(ISTANBUL UNIVERSITY)0000-0002-9506-2428
Pages
103–120
Publication Date
2026-07-08
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Ultimately, the article argues that solving these issues requires more than just legal reform; it necessitates a fundamental structural transformation in the political economy and organization of creative labour.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This article examines the working conditions of set workers in Türkiye’s film and television industry through the lenses of labour law and media policy.
📊
Key Findings & Data:Based on a large-scale survey of 1,181 participants, the study reveals how precarity has become institutionalized.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:Ultimately, the article argues that solving these issues requires more than just legal reform; it necessitates a fundamental structural transformation in the political economy and organization of creative labour.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:İşçi benzeri · dijital emek · medya ekonomi politiği

Abstract

This article examines the working conditions of set workers in Türkiye’s film and television industry through the lenses of labour law and media policy. In creative industries, flexible employment has transformed precarity into a structural fixture, driven by a legal framework that fails to regulate sector-specific dynamics. Based on a large-scale survey of 1,181 participants, the study reveals how precarity has become institutionalized. Key findings highlight that most workers operate without written contracts, engage in short-term project-based tasks, face delayed payments, and endure excessive hours. Consequently, these workers are often excluded from the legal definition of ‘employee’ under Turkish Labour Law, stripping them of essential social protections. The study proposes adopting the ‘dependent contractor’ status as an intermediate legal category to address these gaps. Ultimately, the article argues that solving these issues requires more than just legal reform; it necessitates a fundamental structural transformation in the political economy and organization of creative labour.

Özet

Bu makale, Türkiye’de film ve dizi sektöründe çalışan set emekçilerinin çalışma koşullarını iş hukuku ve medya emek politikaları bağlamında değerlendirmektedir. Yaratıcı endüstrilerdeki esnek çalışma biçimleri, özellikle set çalışanları açısından güvencesizliği yapısal bir sorun haline getirmektedir. Bu durum sadece bireysel sözleşme ilişkilerinden değil, aynı zamanda mevcut yasal çerçevenin sektördeki emek pratiklerini tanımlamada yetersiz kalmasından kaynaklanmaktadır. Çalışma, 1181 kişiyle yapılan geniş ölçekli bir anket verisine dayanmaktadır ve medya sektöründe güvencesizliğin nasıl kurumsallaştığını ortaya koymaktadır. Bulgular, büyük çoğunluğun yazılı sözleşme olmadan, kısa süreli ve proje bazlı biçimlerde çalıştığını; ücretlerin geç ödendiğini ve aşırı çalışma sürelerinin yaygın olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu koşullar, çalışanların Türk İş Kanunu’ndaki ‘işçi’ tanımı dışında bırakılmasına ve sosyal koruma mekanizmalarından yararlanamamalarına neden olmaktadır. Çalışma, bu sorunu ‘işçi benzeri’ kavramı çerçevesinde tartışmakta ve bu kavramın Türk iş hukukuna dâhil edilmesinin potansiyel faydalarını ele almaktadır. Ayrıca bulgular, medya ve iletişim literatüründeki politik ekonomi yaklaşımlarıyla ilişkilendirilerek, yalnızca hukuki değil yapısal dönüşüm ihtiyacına da dikkat çekmektedir.

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Cite This Article

Erol, A., Usta, E. K. (2026). 'Spotlights on set workers': Working conditions in the Turkish film and TV industry. Connectist: Istanbul University Journal of Communication Sciences, Sayı: 70, 103–120. https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2026-1661060

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