Turkey's state-run agency to start broadcast in Kurdish

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

State-run Anadolu Agency is set to start broadcasting in Kurdish starting from September 1 and will provide stories in two separate dialects of the Kurdish language.

The broadcast will be the end-result of the ongoing project, which was launched back in March, following the additions of several languages such as English, Arabic and Russian. Kurmanci and Soranice dialects will be available in the agency’s publications.

The Arbil office, with 40 members, have been running a trial process; offering media outlets free stories and pictures in a bid to increase the influence of the Turkish agency in the region.

Testing in broadcasts have been kicked off following a visit by the head of the executive board Kemal Öztürk, who met with media bosses at Arbil during his time in the Iraqi city.

Kurdish will be the sixth language in which Anadolu Agency will offer its stories.

Anadolu Agency has recently been in the news over its disagreements with the conservative Zaman Media Group, which has ended its subscription with the state-run news agency, accusing the agency of “improper practices” and “injustice.”