TRT - Milestones

• May 1, 1964
  As the article 359 came into effect in the Turkish Constitution, the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (“TRT” from here onwards) was established and fully authorized to run the State radio channels.
• January 31, 1968
   
  TRT Ankara Television started first test-runs.
• September 9, 1974
  Turkish Radio started 24 hour broadcasting under the name TRT-1.
• April 17, 1979
  
  TRT organized the first “April 23, International Children’s Festival”. The event was broadcast live on 27 European channels.
• October 6, 1986
  
  TRT-2 Television channel was started.
• October 2, 1989
  
  TRT-3 and TRT-GAP Television channels were simultaneously started.
• February 28, 1990
  
  TRT’s international channel TRT-INT started broadcasting in Europe.
• July 30, 1990
  
  Educational TV channel TRT-4 started broadcasting from Izmir.
• December 3, 1990
  TRT started teletext trial-runs with the name “Telegün”
• April 27, 1992
  TRT Eurasia channel started broadcasts addressed to Turkic Republics as the primary audience.
• November 14, 1998
  TRT’s Berlin Office was inaugurated.
• January 5, 1999
  Center for Digital Broadcasting Technologies (SAYTEK) was established.
• May 1, 1999
  
  TRT internet website was launched.
• July 15, 1999
  TRT-FM and “Voice of Turkey” broadcasts reached Australia.
• July 25, 1999 TRT-INT TV broadcasts reached Australia and the New Zealand.
• September 20, 1999
  TRT Ashgabat Office in Turkmenistan was inaugurated.
• December 6, 1999
  
  Radio-4 started broadcasting.
• June 7, 2000
  TRT-INT, Voice of Turkey (TSR) and TRT-FM (Radio-2) broadcasts reached the USA and Canada.
• January 31, 2001
  
  TRT-TV channels were renewed with its new institutional identity and new logos.
• June 2, 2001
  TRT Baku Office was inaugurated.
• June 16, 2001
  TRT Cairo Office was inaugurated.
• June 1, 2002
  Through live broadcasts, TRT fully covered the World Cup 2002 hosted jointly by South Korea and Japan in Seoul and Tokyo, in which the Turkish National Football Team held the third place.
• June 25, 2002
  TRT’s fifth office abroad was inaugurated in Brussels.
• July 2, 2002
  
  TRT Tourism Radio began 24 hour broadcasting. Centering on the studios in Lara, the Antalya Station started reaching out to its listeners in English, French, German, Russian and Greek.
• August 8, 2002
  TRT’s sixth office abroad was inaugurated in Washington DC.
• May 24, 2003
  Representing Turkey in the 48th Eurovision Song Contest, TRT won the first place with the song “Every Way that I Can” sung by Sertab Erener.
• January 20, 2004
  TRT digital broadcast was launched: TRT-1, TRT-2, TRT-3, TRT-4 and TRT-INT TV channels as well as all TRT radio broadcasts are now available digitally from the Turksat 1C satellite.
• May 12, 2004
  The 49th Eurovision Song Contest was hosted by TRT in Istanbul. The contest was held in two stages for the first time, and was broadcast live to thirty six countries.
• November 3, 2004
  TRT website www.trt.net.tr was redesigned and its infrastructure upgraded. In this context, the index was enriched; the structure was streamlined so as to work compatibly with all web browsers; navigation was made easier; and the site became faster and more comprehensible on the whole. Television, Radio and prime-time programs were incorporated by means of the new interfaces introduced so that visitors could obtain detailed information about the programs.
• December 14, 2004
  TRT-TURK TV and TSR-Turkish Radio broadcasts were launched via the East beam of Turksat 1C satellite encompassing all Turkey and Central Asia.
• June 24, 2005
  TRT’s 7th office abroad was inaugurated in Tashkent.
• August 10, 2005
  Domestic and external broadcasts from The International Olympics “Universiade Izmir 2005” were successfully aired.
• November 1, 2005
  TRT-Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), The Asiavision Agreement was signed.
• June 22, 2006
  Upon the agreement with Buena Vista Television, TRT bought the broadcasting rights to Walt Disney Co. cartoons, animations and movies in Turkey for four years.
• March 16, 2007
  TRT bought the broadcasting rights to World Cups as well as various FIFA Championships, such as “the Confederation Cup”, for the period 2010-2014.
• April 13-20, 2008
  TRT bought the broadcasting rights to the 44th International Presidency Bicycle Tour in Turkey.