On January 1, Turkey launched it first 24-hour state-run television station in Kurdish. The channel, called TRT6, marks a change in policy in a country where speaking Kurdish was banned after the 1980 military coup. Slowly, this ban is being lifted, in part thanks to pressure from the European Union.

Omer Avci heads the TRT6 studio where foreign movies are dubbed into Kurdish. "For years, we, as Kurds, couldn't speak our own language, only at home or between us. So having TV programmes in Kurdish is really new for us. People still can't believe it! “ Besides dubbing movies, this company produces all kinds of documentaries about Kurdish culture; a culture which is common to at least 12 million people in Turkey but which was scarcely visible on Turkish TV screens and in the media.

Ahmet Sel, producer and journalist, details the channel's purpose: "We try to provide the viewers with answers and we try to throw light on issues people are often scarcely informed about. We have programmes dealing with health, economy but also cultural programs... programmes that hadn't been done so far!"

In the meantime, Kurdish language has no legal status, it is not taught in schools and its use is strictly controlled. In this Kurdish cultural center in Istanbul, people are suspicious of this channel. Many see its launch as a political manoeuvre by the government: "15 years ago the state wouldn't acknowledge the concept of Kurds, we did not exist for Turkey, so this channel is important. But we all know that local elections will be held in two months, so if the government created this channel with the only aim of gaining Kurdish votes, than it is being dishonest"

This is not the view held by Ahmet Sel: "People can say whatever they like, the most important thing is what was achieved. Today there is a Kurdish public television, and this is a huge step, not only for Turkish media but also for Turkish democracy! " The government says that TRT6 will open the door to 24-hour independent TV broadcast in Kurdish. In the meantime, Kurdish viewers can for the first time enjoy viewing Hollywood productions in their native tongue.