TRT Avaz

TRT Avaz is an international television channel of the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, commonly known as TRT. It was launched in Turkey on 21 March 2009, with a broadcasting concept centered on cultural and linguistic links among Turkey, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and parts of the Middle East. The channel's name, Avaz, is a word meaning voice in several Central Asian languages and was publicly announced by Turkish President Abdullah Gül. Its launch date coincided with Nowruz, a major cultural occasion across many Turkic and Central Asian societies, reinforcing the channel's intended regional identity. The channel is the successor to an international TRT service whose roots extend to TRT-INT Avrasya. That service was created in 1992 after the independence of Turkic republics formerly within the Soviet Union. Its purpose was to provide a Turkish international broadcasting presence and support communication and cultural exchange with those countries. The early service began transmissions on 27 April 1992 through the Eutelsat V-F7 satellite and moved to Türksat 1B in September 1994. In its early period, it shared facilities and resources with TRT-INT and used the combined TRT-INT Avrasya designation. The predecessor service initially faced practical and editorial limitations. In Kyrgyzstan, where it began broadcasting in June 1992, its limited daily airtime, restricted coverage and largely Turkish-language programming attracted criticism. The later satellite relocation and the establishment of a satellite telephone link between Turkey and Central Asia helped improve the service's reach. On 1 February 2001, TRT's broader rebranding program renamed the channel TRT Türk, partly as an effort to strengthen its public image in its target countries. The TRT Avaz identity introduced in 2009 broadened and clarified the channel's pan-Turkic positioning. Its programming has included documentaries, talk and magazine shows, cultural programs, music, films, soap operas and regionally oriented productions. Programming has been broadcast in Azeri, Turkmen, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Russian, Tatar and Uzbek, generally with Turkish subtitles. The channel has also offered Turkish-language learning content, allowing its international audience to engage with Turkish culture and language through television. TRT Avaz has continued to extend its distribution beyond satellite broadcasting. On 29 October 2018, it began digital terrestrial television broadcasting in Kyrgyzstan, reaching a reported 68 percent of that country's population. The channel's role is therefore both media-oriented and cultural: it distributes entertainment and information while presenting Turkey as a broadcasting and cultural partner across a broad region. TRT Avaz remains part of TRT's international television portfolio, with its identity tied to multilingual programming, regional cultural coverage and connections among Turkic-speaking communities.

TRT Avaz's institutional history begins with TRT's effort to create an international service for Turkic communities after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. On 19 February 1992, a decision associated with Turkey's National Security Council Secretariat and the government led by Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel provided the basis for creating TRT-INT Avrasya. The service was intended to address the newly independent Turkic republics and to use broadcasting as an instrument of international communication and cultural cooperation. TRT-INT Avrasya began broadcasting on 27 April 1992 via the Eutelsat V-F7 satellite. It also started transmissions in Kyrgyzstan on 1 June 1992, initially operating only from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The service's early reach and editorial approach were not universally well received. In Kyrgyzstan, observers criticized its limited broadcast hours, the extent of its coverage and the fact that its programming was delivered in Turkish. Because the service shared studios and other resources with TRT-INT, it was also identified through a combined name during its early years. A major technical change occurred on 23 September 1994, when the service moved to the Türksat 1B satellite. The change improved its intended coverage of Central Asia and coincided with the introduction of a satellite telephone connection between Turkey and Central Asia. Early programming included the magazine program Yaşadıkça, the music program Asya’dan Müzikli Esintiler and documentary productions such as Orta Asya Esintileri and Altaylar. These programs established a mix of regional culture, music, documentary storytelling and general-interest content. TRT reorganized its brand architecture on 1 February 2001, and the service became TRT Türk. The renaming was presented as part of an effort to improve the channel's public image in its target countries. Although the channel remained connected to Turkey's international broadcasting strategy, the TRT Türk name placed greater emphasis on a recognizable Turkish national identity. On 21 March 2009, the service was relaunched as TRT Avaz. The date was chosen to coincide with Nowruz, which carries particular significance in Turkic and Central Asian societies. The new name, Avaz, refers to a voice in several Central Asian languages and was announced by President Abdullah Gül. A launch gala included artists from the Turkic world and concluded with a performance by Turkish singer Tarkan. The relaunch also articulated a more explicit regional concept organized around three principal areas: the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Under the TRT Avaz identity, the channel developed a multilingual schedule. Its broadcasts have included Azeri, Turkmen, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Russian, Tatar and Uzbek, accompanied by Turkish subtitles. The schedule has covered documentaries, talk and magazine programs, music, culture, films and soap operas, together with educational material intended to help viewers learn Turkish. This combination supports both entertainment distribution and cultural diplomacy, while giving audiences in different linguistic markets a way to access content connected with Turkey and the wider Turkic world. The channel later expanded its terrestrial distribution. On 29 October 2018, TRT Avaz began digital terrestrial television broadcasting in Kyrgyzstan. The service was reported to cover 68 percent of the country, adding a national terrestrial route to the satellite-based international distribution model. TRT Avaz's development therefore reflects successive changes in name, satellite infrastructure, language strategy and transmission technology, while preserving its central role as TRT's television service for Turkic and adjacent regional audiences.

• 2018

  Digital terrestrial service starts in Kyrgyzstan

  [1]TRT Avazen.wikipedia.org

  TRT Avaz begins digital terrestrial broadcasting in Kyrgyzstan, with reported coverage of 68 percent of the country.

• 2009

  TRT Avaz launches

  [1]TRT Avazen.wikipedia.org

  The channel is relaunched as TRT Avaz on 21 March, with a pan-Turkic concept focused on the Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia.

• 2001

  Renamed TRT Türk

  [1]TRT Avazen.wikipedia.org

  The service adopts the TRT Türk name during TRT's wider brand restructuring.

• 1994

  Service moves to Türksat 1B

  [1]TRT Avazen.wikipedia.org

  The channel relocates to Türksat 1B, improving its intended Central Asian coverage.

• 1992

  TRT-INT Avrasya is established

  [1]TRT Avazen.wikipedia.org

  TRT creates the predecessor service to serve Turkic countries that had recently become independent from the Soviet Union and to support international communication with Turkey.

• 1992

  Initial satellite broadcast begins

  [1]TRT Avazen.wikipedia.org

  TRT-INT Avrasya starts broadcasting on 27 April through the Eutelsat V-F7 satellite.

• 1992

  Broadcasting begins in Kyrgyzstan

  [1]TRT Avazen.wikipedia.org

  The service begins transmission in Kyrgyzstan with a limited daily schedule.

A public-service international television channel linking Turkey with Turkic-speaking and neighboring communities through multilingual programming, cultural coverage, entertainment and Turkish-language learning.

• International television channel · 2009

  TRT Avaz

  TRT Avaz is TRT's multilingual television channel for audiences in Turkey's neighboring regions and Turkic-speaking markets. Its schedule combines documentaries, talk and magazine programs, cultural and music shows, films, soap operas and Turkish-language tutorials. Broadcast languages have included Azeri, Turkmen, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Russian, Tatar and Uzbek, with Turkish subtitles. Distribution has used satellite broadcasting and, since 2018, digital terrestrial television in Kyrgyzstan.

• 2018

  Expansion into digital terrestrial broadcasting in KyrgyzstanOther

  Background

  TRT Avaz sought to extend access beyond its satellite distribution model in one of its Central Asian target markets.

  Action taken

  The channel began digital terrestrial broadcasting in Kyrgyzstan on 29 October.

  Aftermath

  The service reportedly reached 68 percent of the country's population through the new terrestrial distribution route.

  Source

• 2009

  Relaunch as TRT AvazStrategy

  Background

  TRT sought a clearer pan-Turkic identity for its international channel and selected a name associated with the meaning voice in Central Asian languages.

  Action taken

  The channel was renamed TRT Avaz and relaunched on 21 March, with a regional concept emphasizing the Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia.

  Aftermath

  The channel continued with multilingual cultural, entertainment and educational programming for audiences across the target region.

  Source

• 2001

  Adoption of the TRT Türk nameStrategy

  Background

  TRT undertook a broader brand reorganization for its services, while the international Turkic-oriented channel sought a stronger public image in its target countries.

  Action taken

  The predecessor service was renamed TRT Türk.

  Aftermath

  The channel later received a further identity change when it was relaunched as TRT Avaz in 2009.

  Source

1. 1TRT Avazen.wikipedia.org
2. 2TRT Avaz official websitetrtavaz.com.tr