30 broadcasters now air programming in different languages, dialects

The number of private radio and television stations in Turkey broadcasting in different languages and dialects has increased to 30. The languages and dialects include Kurdish, Zaza, Armenian, Bosnian, Arabic and English. In 2005, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) allowed the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) to broadcast in foreign languages and dialects that are spoken by Turkish citizens for a limited time each day. Via its TRT 3, TRT aired an hour-long program in each of Kurdish, Arabic and Circassian. Later, private radio and television stations were allowed to broadcast in foreign languages and dialects -- again, for a limited time each day. This changed in 2009, when RTUK issued a regulation that allowed for full-day broadcasting in foreign languages and dialects that are "traditionally" used by Turkish citizens, including Kurdish and Arabic. In the past three years, the number of such stations has risen to 30, including TRT 6 television as well as radio stations. These stations include the Gaziantep-based Dunya TV; the Mardin-based Cemre FM; the Diyarbakir-based Cagri FM, Gun Radyo, Gun TV, Nur FM, TV 21, Amed Radyo, Amed TV, Soz TV, Can Radyo, Can TV, Cagri TV and Aksa FM; the Mersin-based Radyo Ses; the Sanliurfa-based Radyo Net and Medya FM; the Istanbul-based Yasam Radyo, Semerkand TV and Urfa TV; the Van-based Serhad FM; the Siirt-based Botan FM; the Adana-based Vuslat FM; the Mardin-based 47 FM; and the Ankara-based TRT 6.