First Kurdish Film on Gun TV

"Gun TV" (Day TV) in Diyarbakir broadcasted documentary in the Kurmanchi dialect of Kurdish for the first time. The documentary named, "Cek Cek," (handcart) had Turkish subtitles throughout. The documentary made as part of Diyarbakir 3rd Culture and Art Festival. It is about the life of a man.

"Cekcek is an interesting view of Diyarbakir," said the television's head Cemal Dogan. "People carry load in carts. You can see this especially in the Sur District of Diyarbakir. The documentary was filmed with a single digital camera and made in Diyarbakir."

Dogan said the documentary was broadcasted in line with the Regulation on Broadcasts in Languages and Dialects other than Turkish, which went into effect on January 25.

Dogan said they acted in line with article 7, which states that media institutions which broadcast Turkish programs may broadcast individual songs or movies when their daily, monthly and yearly plans are taken into account.

Dogan said the Kurdish documentary was being broadcasted in Turkey for the first time. He said they would continue broadcasting Kurdish programs.

No reply from RTUK

No national media institution applied to RTUK after the Regulation on Broadcasts in Languages and Dialects other than Turkish was put into effect. "Gun TV" applied to RTUK on March 23 and asked for permission to broadcast a cultural program called, "Dergûsa Candî" (Culture Cradle) twice a week. RTUK has not replied to this request yet. (EO/BB/EA/YE)