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Turkey: The cancellation of the license of Radio Açik arouses the indignation of the listeners

2024-11-09 20:00:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Turkey: The cancellation of the license of Radio Açik arouses the

In Turkey, Radio Acik listeners are protesting after regulators revoked the Istanbul-based station's license. For almost 30 years, this radio has tried to bridge the divides in the country. As Voice of America correspondent Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, analysts say that the measure against her is part of a wider attack on the media by the government.

In Istanbul's Kadikoy neighborhood, listeners protest against the removal of Radio Acik from the airwaves. The platform's openness to ideas and pluralism, they say, gave the independent station a special place in Turkey's media landscape.

"Radio Acik is important because it is a cultural center and also a supporter of many organizations, many NGOs, many activists," says listener Elif Unal.

"On the one hand, it's certainly a shock, on the other hand, it's not unexpected, given the way the whole country is going. There's less and less free speech, and I think there's more oppression," says the listener. Atatura flaws.

Turkey's media regulator RTUK revoked the station's license, saying it had failed to pay a previous fine and suspension. The order came after a guest referred to the 1915 killings of Armenians by Turkey's then-Ottoman rulers as genocide. RTUK said this comment incited public hatred.

While the station was paying the fine, it did not stop broadcasting, saying it was appealing the original decision in court. Analysts see the regulator's decision last month as part of a wider trend.

"This decision is particularly disturbing in terms of eliminating media pluralism in the deepest way and weakening the remaining voices of minorities and is in the wake of a political mission to impose a single official view [on] society," says Erol Onderoglu, representative for Turkey of the organization "Reporters without Borders".

Since its inception in 1995, Ac?k Radio has strived to bridge Turkey's deep social and political divisions, with volunteers producing and presenting social and cultural programs that represent the country's diversity, including minorities. Yetvart Danzikyan, host of Radio Agos, says the station provided a platform for Turkey's Armenian minority.

"We tried to bring the unheard voices not only of the Armenian community, but also of all other minorities: the Greek, Jewish and Syrian communities. Radio Açik is already open to many voices, but we were trying to bring even more unheard voices to our program", says Yetvart Danzikyan, host of the "Radio Agos" show.

The station's broad reach has led to listeners and supporters coming out to protest against the license being revoked. Turkey's main opposition parties support the station, and many see the move as the government's attempt to further tighten its grip on the media.

"I have to say that the general atmosphere is moving towards more repression in Turkey. But we are very determined to fight and we have had tremendous support from all regions of the country", says the co-founder of the radio, Omer Madra.

Radio Acik is challenging the revocation of the license in court and wants to continue broadcasting on the Internet. But even such a thing requires a license./ VOA