Turkmenistan operates seven state-owned television broadcasters, fully financed and editorially controlled by the government. These broadcasters fall under the umbrella of Turkmen TV and are managed by a special broadcasting commission set up by the Turkmen government. The stations include:

  • Altyn Asyr, which translates to “golden age” and serves as the country’s main channel
  • Yaslyk, or “youth,” a station dedicated to younger audiences
  • Miras, meaning “heritage,” a channel with a cultural focus
  • Turkmen Owazy, or “voice of Turkmen,” a station centered around music
  • Asgabat, a channel highlighting the capital city, Ashgabat
  • Turkmenistan Sport, a station dedicated to sports coverage.

The same broadcast entity also runs four radio broadcasters as follows:

  • TR1 Radio Watan
  • TR2 Radio Chartarapdan
  • TR3 Radio Miras
  • TR4 Radio Ovaz

Media assets

Turkmen TV: Altyn Asyr, Yaşlyk, Miras, Türkmenistan, Türkmen Owazy, Aşgabat, Türkmenistan Sport Turkmen Radio: TR1 Radio Watan, TR2 Radio Chartarapdan, TR3 Radio Miras, TR4 Radio Ovaz

State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

All media outlets in Turkmenistan are owned and funded by the state, with their editorial agenda strictly controlled by the government. This places them firmly within the category of state-controlled media. The State Committee of Turkmenistan for Television, Radio Broadcasting and Cinematography, established in October 2011 by presidential decree, oversees the operation of Turkmen TV.

Source of funding and budget

Turkmen TV is entirely financed by a subsidy from the state budget, which is allocated to the committee responsible for managing the broadcaster, as per records from the Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC).

Editorial independence

Turkmen TV, according to journalists and experts specializing in Central Asian affairs interviewed for this report in November 2022, March 2023, and May 2024, functions as a propaganda tool dedicated to serving and advancing the interests of the Turkmenistan authorities. As with all media outlets in the country, Turkmen TV is mandated to laud the nation’s former President, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, and his son, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, who’s been serving as Turkmenistan’s president since March 2022.

No domestic statute or independent mechanism establishing Turkmen TV’s editorial independence has been identified.

August 2024

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