The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), established in 1964, is Turkey's national public broadcaster, which held a monopoly on radio and television until the early 1990s. Today, TRT broadcasts globally, funded primarily by a license tax on receivers and government grants, though its editorial stance strongly supports the government.
Pioneering Turkish broadcasting, TRT's predecessor began radio tests in 1926, with TRT 1 launching television transmissions on January 31, 1968, and fully converting to color by 1984. TRT became a renewed member of the European Broadcasting Union in 1972 and notably organized the Eurovision Song Contest 2004.
A significant event occurred during the July 2016 coup attempt, where TRT offices were raided, and a news anchor was forced to read a plotter's statement live on air, leading to widespread staff dismissals and forced retirements.