TRT, established on May 1st 1964, was set up as an autonomous public organization, bringing a public and institutional identity to radio and television broadcasting in Turkey.
TRT currently has 9 channels: TRT-1 (24-hour generalist channel); TRT-2 (news/information, art and culture); TRT-3 (timeshares with TV-G.A.P which provides broadcasts in the southeastern Anatolia region as well as parliamentary proceedings and sports events); TRT-4 (music, documentary); TRT-5 (Anatolian channel, in test transmission), TRT-6 (generalist channel in Kurdish language); TRT-Cocuk (children’s channel); TRT-Avaz (Channel for the Turkic World) and TRT-TURK (World News). All 9 channels broadcast over of 1140 hours of programming a week, covering more than 98 percent of the population via 4985 transmitters.
TRT operates 4 national radio networks and 5 regional stations. Its radio channels are Radio-1 covering about 91 percent of the population; Radio-2 (TRT-FM) covering more than 98 percent of the population; Radio-3 (classical) and Radio-4 (Turkish music). Regional stations (Antalya, Cukurova, Erzurum, Gap-Diyarbakir and Trabzon) are linked to the Radio-4 and air regional broadcasts 3 hours-a-day in compliance with the likes and demands of listeners in their own regions. Its external service, Voice of Turkey broadcasts in 30 languages including Turkish via shortwave, satellite and internet.
TRT News has become online at www.trt.net.tr in 30 languages as of 20 December 2008 as well.