BRT – Flying the flag for fifty years.
Bayrak, Bayrak Bayrak – The voice of Freedom!
By Can Gazi
On the 25th of December 2013 Bayrak Radio & Television Corporation celebrates its golden anniversary. It has been 
the voice of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for exactly fifty years. A voice that was a source of vital news and a provider of much needed comfort during times of trouble on the island. A voice that can now be heard across the globe thanks to modern technology; a far cry from the first radio broadcasts that were powered by a car battery from the garage of leader Dr. Fazıl Küçük in the heart of Lefkoşa.
English language radio transmissions began in 1968, with the establishment of Radio 2. Aside from music and entertainment programmes, news bulletins in English and Greek were
also aired. In 1997 this radio channel became more popularly known as Bayrak International. The addition of Arabic, German, Russian and French news spots ensured that the station lived up to its new name. Certainly today, with Internet streaming from the website www.brtk.net, Bayrak International reaches friends of the TRNC wherever they are living in the world.
Bayrak International is the only English language radio station in North Cyprus. One of the few windows that friends living abroad can look through and see the real island. Despite international embargoes imposed on this small state, Bayrak International is a bridge linking the TRNC to the rest of the world. Music, magazine and request shows are accompanied by daily news bulletins and a variety of programmes related to local tourism and culture.
Bayrak International is ‘Your friend on your radio’ and has close relations with many of its listeners living on the island; each individual is regarded by Bayrak International as a member of the Bayrak family. Bayrak International is happy to promote and support local social, cultural and charity events, and is proud of the strong bonds it has formed with the myriad of local NGOs, societies and associations operating in North Cyprus. Many people living in the TRNC, and even some friends from overseas, have been welcomed into the
Bayrak studios; often talking about themselves, their work and their cause. This hand of friendship has also been extended by the presenters of English language television programmes aired mainly on BRT2 TV, the broadcaster’s second television channel.
Over the years various technological developments have changed how individuals interact with media institutions. Bayrak International has kept up with the times, and is just a click of the computer button away. Easily accessible on the World Wide Web, the radio’s broadcasts can be heard locally across the island on 87.8 and 105FM stereo.
The staff at Bayrak International, with their friendly voices (and faces) are proud to serve the public. Being a part of Bayrak means being an important member of a large family. As a valued listener, or even viewer, we thank you for all your support and hope that you will stick by our side for many more years to come. Keep tuned in!
