Çaplı was born in Ankara in 1958. He graduated from Ankara Academy of Economics and Commercial Sciences, School of Journalism and Public Relations. He earned a master's degree in communications from Utah State University, USA. He continued his doctorate program in the field of telecommunications at Ohio University, USA, with a Fulbright scholarship. He then received his doctorate in radio and television from Istanbul University.

He worked as a visiting researcher at the European Institute of Communications in Manchester and the Department of Telecommunications at the University of Florida, USA. He conducted academic studies in the fields of media ethics, political economy of the media, media politics, international communication and documentary.

Bülent Çaplı completed his military service in Burdur.

prof. Bülent Çaplı is the head of Ankara University, Faculty of Communication, Department of Radio, Television and Cinema. He conducts academic studies in the fields of communication ethics, communication policies, international communication and documentary.

He has joint documentary and book works with Mehmet Ali Birand and Can Dündar.

Bülent Çaplı is married to Yeşim Çaplı.