Turkmen TV
Turkmenistan’s state television system, known collectively as Turkmen TV, consists of eight television channels and four radio stations, all under the direct authority of the government. The television portfolio includes Altyn Asyr (“Golden Age”), the flagship national channel, Ýaşlyk (“Youth”), targeting younger audiences, Miras (“Heritage”), focused on culture and the arts, Turkmenistan (TV-4), an international-facing channel broadcasting in multiple languages,Türkmen Owazy (“Voice of Turkmen”), a music-focused channel, Aşgabat, devoted to the capital city, Turkmenistan Sport, dedicated to sports coverage and Arkadag, launched in March 2023 to highlight the newly built namesake city. The same broadcast entity also runs four radio broadcasters.
Media assets
Turkmen TV: Altyn Asyr, Yaşlyk, Miras, Türkmenistan, Türkmen Owazy, Türkmenistan Sport, Aşgabat, Arkadag
Turkmen Radio: TR1 Radio Watan, TR2 Radio Chartarapdan, TR3 Radio Miras, TR4 Radio Ovaz
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
All television and radio outlets are wholly owned by the state. The State Committee for Television, Radio Broadcasting and Cinematography, created by presidential decree in October 2011, exercises direct control over Turkmen TV. This centralized governance structure ensures that appointments, programming, and operational decisions remain in the hands of the executive. No independent oversight body or supervisory board exists.
Source of funding and budget
Turkmen TV is financed entirely from the state budget. No commercial revenue streams or independent funding mechanisms exist. Budget allocations are channelled through the State Committee for Television, Radio Broadcasting and Cinematography, which manages the group’s operations, according to data from Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC).
Editorial independence
Turkmen TV has no editorial independence. Its role is to serve as a platform for state propaganda, with content that glorifies former President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow and his successor, Serdar Berdimuhamedow (in office since March 2022). Independent journalism is non-existent: programming is curated to reinforce the state’s political agenda, and coverage of sensitive topics is absent.
There is no statutory framework or institutional mechanism guaranteeing editorial autonomy, and Turkmenistan consistently ranks among the lowest in global press freedom indices.
August 2025