The Higher Broadcasting Council (YYK) on Thursday handed out broadcast licenses to media operating in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Numerous Web TVs were given their licenses following legislative changes made earlier this year.
Bayrak Radio Television Corporation also received a Digital Video Broadcasting Terrestrial (DVB-T) and Platform Operation license.
During the speeches at the ceremony, the importance of media and broadcasting was emphasized.
The meeting was attended by President Ersin Tatar and First Lady Sibel Tatar, YYK President Feyzi Hansel, the President of Türkiye’s Radio and Television Supreme Council Ebubekir Şahin, and media sector employees.
Feyzi Hansel, the President of the Higher Broadcasting Council, who spoke at the ceremony said that many Web TVs and platforms became license holders as a result of the legal changes made in the past year.
“Media activities are carried out with commercial investments in a small economy. The Higher Broadcasting Council will make every effort to alleviate problems. In return, we have only one expectation from the media sector, which is to take care of this state entrusted to us by those before us through their struggle for existence and to value our freedom with respect while taking care of this state. No authority or politician in this state has the right to criticize, offend, or threaten its citizens. We expect you to carry out your activities by the universal media ethics principles that we included in our laws as broadcasting principles last year,” he said.
Ebubekir Şahin, the President of Türkiye’s Radio and Television Supreme Council, stated in his speech that they always take into consideration the power of political will and cooperation in performing their duties.
“When making a decision, we don’t consider how to increase the penalty, but when the boundaries of criticism are exceeded, penalties come into play. The infrastructure of the TRNC was built with the blood of martyrs. If respect is paid during broadcasting, you will face rewards, not penalties,” he said.
Şahin also congratulated the media members, saying, “The licenses granted this year are the footprint of new-generation journalism and the herald of the future.”
President Ersin Tatar, in his speech at the ceremony, acknowledged the difficulties in the sector.
He emphasized that respecting boundaries should not be exceeded during broadcasts, and broadcasts that are contrary to human rights, serious, and contain violence are not correct. Tatar also suggested that laws in this regard need to be reviewed.
“There are prices paid, there are great sacrifices. You cannot exploit that voice; you cannot use that voice to destroy this state. Despite the prices paid here, if you become the cause of attacks made in a manner that is destructive to the state, then it means you are not using this opportunity correctly,” he said.
After the speeches, the license presentation ceremony took place during which Bayrak Radio Television Corporation received a DVB-T and Platform Operation license.