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October 10, 2008 4:17:58 PM CDT

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Booze and Beats Don't Mix in Turkey

Posted Feb 28, 08 6:47 PM CST in Arts & Living,  World 

(Newser) – Singer Aslizen Yentur thought it was a joke when Turkey's top music channel axed shots of a wine bottle-laden table from her video. It wasn't, and now Turkey's broadcasting watchdog is drafting a bill to make scenes that encourage drinking illegal—supposedly to align with EU norms, the Independent reports. But critics charge the government is really trying to steer Turkey toward religious populism.

Wine taxes have quadrupled since the Islamic-rooted AKP—which unsuccessfully tried to confine bars to "red streets"—took over in 2002. The author of a book on Turkish Islam says he fears this "is the beginning of a major change against secular lifestyles." Nearly half the complaints to watchdog RTUK last year were from viewers upset by alcohol's excessive visibility on TV.

Source Independent (UK)

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Two Turkish university students, one of them wearing an Islamic head scarf, walk in Istanbul, Turkey, in this file photo. The ruling AKP party has been accused by critics of steering secular Turkey towards...   (Associated Press)
Aslizen Yentur had her music video censored by Turkey's leading music station for offending scenes of her having wine with dinner.   (Facebook)
Aslizen Yentur thought it was a joke when Turkey's leading music station asked her to censor the alcohol out of her music video for a tavern song.   (Hurriyet (Turkey))
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This uncensored clip shows the music video that got Aslizen Yentur in trouble with Turkey's top music station. Even though it is a Greek tavern song, the wine-accompanied dinner scenes were deemed inappropriate.   (perfectpops (YouTube))

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European Union  • Turkey  • alcohol  • wine  • censorship  • pop music  • broadcasting  • music videos


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