Public service broadcasting: A study on TRT (1964-1980)

Radio and television, which are the most important tools in the formation of public opinion and the development of democracy, were born in the first quarter of the 20th century. This new mass media began to undertake certain tasks in society from the date of its emergence, and while it functioned as an entertainment tool in the first years, when its importance was understood, it was used as a propaganda tool by the central governments to spread their ideologies. They were organized as autonomous institutions due to the nature of the service they offered in the new order formed after the Second World War. When we look at the development of radio-television broadcasting in Turkey, it is seen that it has developed similar to the countries in continental Europe, with a slight delay. TRT, which was established autonomously with the 1961 Constitution, was organized impartially with later legal regulations and became open to the influence of political powers. In the study, the problems faced by mass media - radio and television - in the process of broadcasting in accordance with the requirements of public service broadcasting were tried to be examined by focusing on the TRT example between 1964 and 1980.