Zarok TV

Zarok TV is a Kurdish-language children's television network based in Diyarbakır, southeastern Turkey. The name “Zarok” means “child” or “children” in Kurdish. It was launched on 21 March 2015 and is described as the first Kurdish satellite television station in Turkey specifically directed at children. Its programming centers on children's entertainment, language, culture, and everyday Kurdish life, including cartoons dubbed into Kurdish and other youth-oriented material. The channel's linguistic scope reflects the diversity of Kurdish-speaking communities in Turkey and the wider region. Its principal broadcast language is Kurmanji, the most widely spoken Kurdish variety in Turkey, while programming has also been associated with Zazaki and some Sorani. By presenting familiar international cartoons in Kurdish, Zarok TV combines a conventional children's television format with a cultural and language-preservation role. Its stated purpose was not limited to entertainment: the channel's director described its focus as children, Kurdish culture, ways of life, and language. Zarok TV's development took place in a politically sensitive broadcasting environment. In the aftermath of the failed coup attempt of 15 July 2016, Turkish authorities closed the station on 29 September 2016 under an emergency statutory decree. The authorities accused Zarok TV and other affected broadcasters of separatist or subversive activities. Police raided the station's headquarters, and the channel's director said that no prior warning had been given. The closure formed part of a broader action affecting 12 television stations and 11 radio stations. The shutdown attracted criticism in Turkey and internationally, including condemnation from the European Parliament, which argued that the emergency measures were being misused after the failed coup attempt. Zarok TV was permitted to resume broadcasting in November 2016 following criticism of the closure. The owner, who also controlled several other Kurdish cultural television channels, estimated losses of approximately 125,000 to 150,000 US dollars during October as a result of the closures. That estimate is reported as a contemporaneous claim rather than audited company financial information. Zarok TV is therefore significant both as a niche television brand and as a Kurdish-language media institution. Its core proposition is the provision of children's programming in languages that have historically had limited representation in Turkish television. Publicly available reference material does not establish a current corporate owner, detailed management roster, financial results, distribution agreements, or a complete present-day schedule. The network's official website remains the principal brand reference, while its documented history is especially associated with its 2015 launch, its 2016 closure, and its subsequent return to broadcasting.

Zarok TV emerged in Turkey as a dedicated Kurdish-language television service for children. The network began broadcasting on 21 March 2015 from Diyarbakır, also known by its Kurdish name Amed. It was characterized as the first Kurdish satellite television station in Turkey aimed specifically at children. Its launch addressed a clear gap in the local television market: children could watch familiar formats and cartoons while hearing Kurdish rather than Turkish. The channel's programming was associated primarily with Kurmanji, the most widely spoken Kurdish dialect in Turkey. It also broadcast material in Zazaki and some Sorani, giving the service a broader Kurdish linguistic profile. Its programming concept extended beyond imported entertainment. Zarok TV presented itself as a medium for children's culture, language, and ways of life, with cartoons dubbed into Kurdish and other content intended to make Kurdish a normal language of children's media. The network's operation became closely connected to the political pressures surrounding Kurdish broadcasting and Turkey's post-coup state of emergency. After the failed coup attempt of 15 July 2016, Turkish authorities issued an emergency statutory decree affecting a number of media organizations. On 29 September 2016, Zarok TV was closed alongside 12 other television stations and 11 radio stations. Police raided its headquarters. The authorities accused the channel of separatist and subversive activities, while the station's director said that the closure occurred without warning. The shutdown provoked criticism from media and political observers. The European Parliament condemned the Turkish authorities' handling of the closures and argued that legal powers introduced after the failed coup were being misused. The episode placed a children's broadcaster within a much wider dispute over emergency rule, freedom of expression, Kurdish cultural media, and the treatment of television outlets viewed by the authorities as politically problematic. Zarok TV was allowed to resume broadcasting in November 2016 after criticism of the closure. The owner of Zarok TV, who also owned or operated several other Kurdish cultural television channels, said the group had lost an estimated 125,000 to 150,000 US dollars in October because of the closures. This figure was reported as an estimate and does not constitute a verified financial statement. Public reference material provides limited information about the network after its return. It does not identify the founder, current directors, legal corporate structure, parent company, or detailed distribution footprint. The official website is presented as a Turkish-language brand reference. On the documented record, Zarok TV is best understood as a specialist Kurdish children's media brand whose importance lies in combining satellite television, dubbed children's entertainment, and Kurdish-language cultural representation.

1. 2016Closure under emergency decree

   The station was raided and shut down on 29 September during post-coup emergency measures affecting multiple Turkish television and radio stations.

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2. 2016Return to broadcasting

   Zarok TV was allowed to resume broadcasting in November after criticism of its closure.

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3. 2015Launch of Zarok TV

   Zarok TV began broadcasting on 21 March as a Kurdish satellite television station for children based in Diyarbakır.

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A Kurdish children's television network combining mainstream children's entertainment with Kurdish-language, cultural, and identity-focused programming.

• Kurdish children's television programmingTelevision network programming2015

  The network's core offering is children's programming delivered in Kurdish. Kurmanji is the principal language associated with the service, supplemented by Zazaki and some Sorani. The programming concept links entertainment with the representation of Kurdish language, culture, and everyday life for younger viewers.

• Kurdish-dubbed cartoonsAnimated children's entertainment2015

  Zarok TV broadcasts cartoons that are widely available internationally but adapted through Kurdish dubbing. This format makes recognizable children's entertainment accessible in Kurdish and supports the channel's broader objective of normalizing Kurdish-language media for children.

• 2016Resume broadcasting after the enforced shutdownStrategy

  The station was closed in September 2016 under an emergency decree, prompting criticism from the broadcaster and international observers.

  What changed. Zarok TV returned to broadcasting in November 2016 after the authorities permitted it to reopen.

  Aftermath. The reopening restored the channel's service, although the closure caused an estimated 125,000 to 150,000 US dollars in October losses according to the owner of the channel and related Kurdish cultural broadcasters.

  Estimated loss attributed to closures. 125000-150000 USD estimated loss (October 2016)

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• 2015Launch a Kurdish children's satellite networkProduct launch

  The channel was created to provide children's entertainment and cultural programming in Kurdish varieties, particularly Kurmanji, within Turkey's television market.

  What changed. Zarok TV began satellite broadcasting from Diyarbakır on 21 March 2015, including Kurdish-dubbed cartoons and other children's content.

  Aftermath. The launch established the network as a specialist Kurdish children's broadcaster and later made it a focus of political controversy surrounding Kurdish media.

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• 2016Closure of Zarok TV under Turkey's post-coup emergency measuresControversy

  On 29 September 2016, police raided Zarok TV's headquarters and the channel was closed under an emergency statutory decree. Authorities accused the broadcaster of separatist and subversive activity. The closure was criticized by the station and by the European Parliament, and the channel was later permitted to resume broadcasting in November.

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• 2016Zarok TV allowed to resume broadcasting

  The channel was permitted to return to the air in November 2016 after criticism of its sudden closure, including criticism from the European Parliament.

  RegulationOther
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• 2015Zarok TV begins broadcasting as Turkey's first Kurdish children's satellite channel

  Zarok TV launched on 21 March 2015, offering children's programming in Kurdish varieties including Kurmanji, Zazaki, and some Sorani.

  Product launch
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1. Zarok TV
2. Zarok TV official website