Debate at CIU: The Past and Future of TV in Northern Cyprus

Cyprus International University’s Faculty of Communication held a panel discussion which brought together high ranking figures from North Cyprus’ television industry. Representatives from the North Cyprus Broadcasting Supreme Council as well as public and private TV channels came together to give their opinions on the topic “The past and future of TV in Northern Cyprus”.

In their speeches the participants provided information specific to the sector in Northern Cyprus: the history and future of TV broadcasting in Northern Cyprus, broadcast by public and private domain actors, transformations experienced in the TV sector due to technological enhancements, and principal problematic issues in the sector.

The panel discussion, moderated by CIU Acting Rector and Dean of the Communication Faculty Prof. Hikmet Seçim, was attended by Ersin Tatar of Kanal T, Neşe Ergüçlü of Bayrak Radio and Television Broadcasting Corporation (BRTK), Sami Özuslu of Sim TV, Pınar Gözek Dervişağa of Kıbrıs TV, Tekin Birinci of Genç TV, and Ferhat Atik of the Radio and Television Supreme Council.

Ersin Tatar – Kanal T
The seminar began with a speech from Ersin Tatar, the CEO of Kanal T, the first private TV channel in North Cyprus. Ersin Tatar is the former Minister of Finance and currently a Member of the Parliament from the Nicosia branch of the political party UBP. Having in the past held an administrative position with two private TV channels in Turkey, Ersin Tatar talked about the establishment of Kanal T seventeen years ago, and about the activities that they had undertaken with a view towards the adoption by the Parliament of the “ Private TV and Radio Law ”.

Speaking of the problems faced during the initial years of TV broadcasts in North Cyprus Tatar explained that one of the most significant problems had been that of adopting a frequency, adding that TV broadcasts had not been received all over the island. Despite the current adoption of satellite relayed broadcasts by many TV channels, Tatar said that there were still problems faced concerning technical infrastructure.

Pointing out that print media would eventually be weakened world-wide, whilst TV broadcasting would further evolve, Tatar underlined that TV broadcasting was a very costly domain where the sole source of revenue was that of publicity which enabled the TV channels to survive despite the costs.

Neşe Ergüçlü – BRTK
In her speech, Neşe Ergüçlü of the BRTK provided information on TV and radio channels owned by the BRTK and set out the distinctions between TV broadcasts undertaken by the private versus public domain actors.

Pointing that BRTK was the corporation that oversees public sector broadcasts in Northern Cyprus, Ergüçlü said that the corporation owned two TV and 6 radio channels. Underlining that providing the society with correct information was of utmost importance for the corporation, Ergüçlü explained that the status of being state funded channels did provide financial advantages to BRTK owned channels vis-à-vis the private ones, and yet that this was not entirely adequate.

Stating that BRTK’s HD studio was inaugurated on 15 December, Ergüçlü informed that their pilot HD broadcast would be undertaken on 25 December. Stressing that BRTK was the sole employer offering the biggest number of positions in Northern Cyprus. Ergüçlü explained that the private TV channels were faced with financial difficulties, and that BRTK was helping these channels as much as possible.

Sami Özuslu – Sim TV   
Starting his speech with the history of print media and broadcasting in Northern Cyprus, the Chief Editor of Sim TV Sami Özuslu said that radio and TV broadcasting and media were combatant sectors.

Pointing out that the first color TV broadcast in Middle East had been commenced by BRT in 1976, Özuslu said that until 2004 BRT had defended unity in the media excluding multilateralism in the sector. Expressing that the stance of BRT had changed after the referendum in 2004, Özuslu explained that the concept of broadcasting in Northern Cyprus was much more democratic than that both Southern Cyprus and Turkey.

Özuslu underlined that there existed in Turkey TV channels followed solely by marginalized groups and small communities, that these channels did not reflect the reality in their broadcasts, whereas there existed no such practice in Northern Cyprus. Özuslu stressed that Sim TV practiced broadcasting as a means of furthering peace, and that in so doing they did not discriminate against anyone on the basis of faith, language or race.

Pınar Gözek Dervişağa – Kıbrıs TV
In her speech, Pınar Gözek Dervişağa, the Director of Kıbrıs TV affiliated with the Kıbrıs Media Group, pointed out that there were many obstacles within the Northern Cypriot broadcasting sector. She added that low quality broadcasts due to lacking financial sources and lack of qualified personnel were just the tip of an iceberg of problems in the sector. Pointing to the lacking number of qualified personnel in the sector, Gözek Dervişağa stressed that universities had much that they could contribute in this aspect, university education being the only means of preparing professionals towards meeting such personnel shortages.

Underlining that, as with broadcasting corporations the world over, publicity was the financial source of the sector in Northern Cyprus, Gözek Dervişağa said that more publicity would only be placed with any given channel in direct proportion to its viewer ratings. Dervişağa added however that the increasing number of channels in Turkey, and the rising popularity of these Republic of Turkey based channels in Northern Cyprus lead to unfair competition.

Dervişağa explained that many series and quiz/talent shows were produced in Turkey, whereas such programs could not be produced in Northern Cyprus due to the lack of financial sources. Low cost studio based informative programs tended to be created in Northern Cyprus instead of popular and fun shows.

Tekin Birinci – Genç TV
Attending the panel on behalf of Genç TV, affiliated with Birinci Media Corporation, Tekin Birinci pointed out that the corporation was a family owned business concern and that the very first privately owned Northern Cypriot radio channel First FM had been established by the corporation. Pointing out that he had joined the broadcasting sector at a rather early stage in his life, Birinci spoke of the phases leading to the establishment of the corporation whereby they had broadcast under quite difficult conditions until 2004, whilst in the period up until 2007 they had enjoyed the golden age of broadcasting in Northern Cyprus. Tekin Birinci explained that they had experienced much higher monthly figure of publicity revenue at that point in time whereas currently they were faced with a significantly lower figure of revenue generated by advertising.

Tekin Birinci underlined that in 2012 Genç TV had undergone great changes due to a concept that had been developed during his years as a student which had then evolved into the EU project “Green IP TV” (online TV focused on environment). Pointing out that Genç TV had further evolved with additional funds, Tekin Birinci said that equipped with a modern and technologically sophisticated infrastructure they were providing services with a work force of 60 employees.

At the conclusion of his speech Birinci stated that the corporation had commenced work to establish a media university in Northern Cyprus with a view towards equipping the sector with qualified personnel.

Ferhat Atik – Broadcast Supreme Council (YYK)
Speaking on behalf of the North Cyprus Broadcasting Supreme Council (YYK), Ferhat Atik expressed that mankind would always feel the urge to be informed and that consequently mass communication devices would always be in demand. Pointing out that the Northern Cyprus media was experiencing a period of transition, Atik said that as with every other country Northern Cyprus had a media culture and that it had evolved into its current state after many changes since 1963.

Continuing his speech with the effect of Turkish TV channels on Northern Cypriot ones, Atik explained that Northern Cypriot TV channels shared the same satellite broadcast zone as Turkish TV channels, thus finding themselves allocated a proportional slice of the pie representing the relevant publicity market. Speaking of the right to propagate its own language and culture enjoyed by every country via the Human Rights Declaration, Ferhat Atik stressed that Northern Cypriot TV channels should also take the initiative in this aspect and not stay solely concerned with obtaining ad placement. Atik expressed that in this way it would be possible not only for the voice of Northern Cyprus to be heard the world over, but also for a solid communication to be established with the Northern Cypriot Diasporas the world over.

During his speech, Atik also provided information on the North Cyprus Broadcast Supreme Council stressing that they had been providing service under a democratic structure for 17 years. Atik expressed that local TV channels had experienced substantial developments, yet seen from a technological point of view they still had much catching up to do vis-à-vis the TV channels based in Turkey. Atik added that millions of TL was spent in shooting any given single scene by the Turkish channels, yet these channels were far away from obtaining the desired effect in presenting the news, whereas the Northern Cypriot channels were much more liberated in this aspect.

Culled from CIU Ajans