Kurdish Radio-TV Broadcasts Start

Broadcasts in languages other than Turkish will begin after a signature ceremony to be held soon. Television and radio watchdog RTUK has granted permission to Diyarbakir's "Gun TV" and "Soz TV" and Sanliurfa's "Media FM" to broadcast programs in Kurdish.

BIA News Center

10/03/2006 Erol ONDEROGLU

BİA (Istanbul) - The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) has granted permission to three local media organizations in Southeastern Turkey to broadcast programs in Kurdish.

RTUK and officials from the three local televisions, Diyarbakir's "Gun TV" (Day TV) and "Soz TV" (Word TV) and Sanliurfa's "Media FM" will be signing a letter of commitment in the coming days. After the signature ceremony, the televisions will be able to broadcast programs in the Kirmanchi and Zaza dialects of Kurdish.

Dogan: We will start broadcasts in mid-March

Cemal Dogan, the general manager of "Gun TV," who told bianet he met with RTUK authorities, said all their preparations were completed for Kurdish broadcasts and added they would begin broadcasts in mid-March after the signing of the letter of commitment.

Two years after the regulation on broadcasts in different languages and dialects, television stations will be able to broadcast programs in languages and dialects other than Turkish, and with Turkish subtitles, for 45 minutes per day and a total of four hours per week. Radio stations will be able to broadcast such programs, together with translations, for an hour each day and a total of five hours per week.

A total of 12 media organizations have applied to RTUK in the last two years for permissions to broadcast programs locally and regionally in languages other than Turkish. Four of the 12 have completed all the necessary documentation. (EO/EA/YE)