The Turkish General Staff [armed forces] has sent an official request to the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) to launch a radio station similar to the police and meteorology stations that will inform the public on the fight against terrorism, certain activities of the military and steps to take during natural disasters.RTUK is expected to allocate a frequency to the General Staff; however, the council had previously presented a bill to the Cabinet that proposed having the police and meteorology stations broadcast via Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) frequencies instead of regular broadcasting bands. In the event the bill is approved by Parliament, the General Staff station will also broadcast over TRT frequencies.
The General Staff radio station will be a national station that will broadcast across the entire country. Currently the General Staff informs people on important matters through its official Web site; however, since Internet usage is fairly low in rural locations, the General Staff aims to establish a station that will reach even the most remote locations in Turkey.
If the General Staff’s request is approved, there will be no charge for the use of the frequencies it is assigned, just as with the police and meteorology stations. There is no information as to whether there will be continual programmed content on the station.
(Source: Today’s Zaman/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
