Bayrak Radio and Television Corporation (BRTK) is the official radio and television broadcaster of the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The station was established in 1963 during the clashes between the Greek and Turkish communities on the island that led to the split of Cyprus into two, the north and the south. CybC until then had been the sole official broadcaster in Cyprus, covering also the Turkish minority. BRTK operated as Bayrak Radio until 1976 when it took its current name.
Media assets
Television: BRT1, BRT2
Radio: Bayrak Radyosu, Bayrak International, Bayrak FM, Bayrak Klasik, Bayrak Turk Muzigi, Bayrak Radyo Haber
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
BRTK was established by the BRTK Law of 1983 as a public entity owned by the Government of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The highest governing authority at BRTK is a seven-member Board in majority appointed by the authorities (BRTK director, who is also a member of the Board, and two other members are appointed by the government and another member by the security forces). The other three members are appointed by the station’s staff, academia and the press (one each).
Source of funding and budget
According to the BRTK Law, BRTK is supposed to be financed via a combination of sources, including advertising revenues and other commercial sales as well as donations. The law states that the government is to cover any financial deficits that the station might incur because of slower commercial sales. In recent years, the Turkish government in Cyprus has regularly contributed almost the entire budget of the BRTK. In 2020, some TRY 124m (US$ 15.2m) of BRTK’s total budget of TRY 126m came from the state budget, according to the latest data publicly available. In 2022, BRTK received a total state subsidy of TRY 245.5m (US$ 13.5m), which covered most of its expenses.
Editorial independence
As a state-owned corporation whose main governing body is controlled by the authorities of the Turkish government in Cyprus, BRTK’s editorial agenda is heavily influenced by the government’s interests. An ad hoc content analysis found a visible bias in the station’s coverage, most of the news being about the authorities, especially meetings and other activities of the President and the government of the Northern Cyprus Republic.
Although BRTK states on its website that “neutral” journalism is one of the values by which it abides, no domestic statute and no independent assessment mechanism that establishes the editorial independence of the station have been identified.
September 2023