[Prev][Next][Index]

TS News - MED TV Officially Relaunched Via Intelsat Satellite

TELE-satellit News, 19 August 1996

MED TV officially relaunched via Intelsat satellite
  LONDON, England, 1996 AUG 19 (TS) -- After 45 days off the air MED TV
returned to Europe's skies last week. The company said, "Despite all the
problems we have faced, MED TV will open 14th August with an extra two hours
of broadcasting time."

  The channel is now broadcasting from 1500 to 2300 UTC on Intelsat at 18
degrees West, channel 11.075 GHz, vertical polarization.

  "We are happy to be able to fulfil our promise from our last broadcast on
1st July to improve and extend our programming. During the time that we have
been forced off air we have built up support for our television station and
worked to secure our future," the station said.

  The statement continued, "Since the first day of broadcasting and even
before then, MED TV has been subject to harassment and smear tactics. We
have had to resist the attempted censorship of our language and our culture.
But the overwhelming response from Kurdish people around the globe and from
our supporters in Europe has strengthened us. We have great hopes for the
future.

  "It goes without saying that we will maintain our impartial and democratic
broadcasts. Democratic because MED TV will reflect what its viewers wish to
see and not those of a few powerful interested parties, as with the Turkish
televisions. We will also maintain our representation of the beliefs and
culture of Middle Eastern peoples, especially the Kurdish people.

  "MED TV receives its strength from the Kurdish people, and in difficult
times like these we are rewarded with hundreds of thousands of letters and
faxes and phone calls in support of MED TV. Our audience also strongly
condemns the attempts by the Turkish state to close us down. The Kurdish
people and their supporters worldwide have raised their voices to bring back
their television.

  "We are saddened to say that many countries which declare themselves as
democratic have supported Turkey in its efforts to close MED TV down.
Certain companies supplying satellite space breached their contracts with
MED TV because of their own country's political stance. This goes again the
idea of free trade and freedom of expression. Even though we have conducted
our business dealings in a spirit of cooperation and goodwill, we will no
longer be a party to these tactics. For this reason we will be moving onto
the Intelsat satellite provider for the continuation of our transmissions.

  "Kurdish television is still banned in Turkey. While trying to close MED
TV down, the Turkish state declared its willingness to permit Kurdish
broadcasts. After MED TV was closed down, this was not carried through. It
is clear that its promise to allow Kurdish broadcasting was a deliberate
attempt to mask its true position.

  "We call on Turkey to end its campaign against MED TV and its efforts to
silence the Kurdish language and culture and [its efforts] to put an end to
Kurdish establishments. Respected human rights groups have long agreed that
Turkey is one of the worst countries in the world for journalists. Writers,
journalists, broadcasters and academics have been silenced by both legal and
extra-judicial means. This suppression of freedom of expression extended to
MED TV."

(c)TELE-satellit 1996. All rights reserved.
[Other mailing list archives]