The state-run Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, or TRT, has expanded its influence to an audience of hundreds of millions across the Middle East, Asia and Europe with its introduction last year of multilingual international stations.

Broadcasting in Arabic, English, Persian, Kurdish and various Turkic dialects is part of a new strategy for TRT, which introduced 24-hour Kurdish broadcasts Jan. 1, 2009, on Turkey’s first multilingual network, TRT 6, as part of the government’s democratic initiative.

“TRT 6 is broadcasting with the goal of Turkey’s unity and integrity, Turkey’s good international relationships, especially with those in its immediate vicinity, and achievement of contemporary norms, to spectators of every age group, giving them both a sense of interactivity and trust,” a statement on its Web site says.

TRT 6 broadcasts a variety of programming, including shows targeting children, youth and women; dramas, documentaries and entertainment programs; and shows on health, the economy, history, nature, sports, music, religion, news, culture and the arts.

The network primarily targets a Kurdish audience within Turkey and in neighboring countries such as Iraq, Syria and Iran.

“Turkey is one of the few countries to possess a rich variety of religions, languages and cultures. It also possesses the dynamics that would enable it to easily preserve its integrity, thanks to its deep-rooted sense of togetherness, which it has acquired through the course of history,” a TRT 6 online statement reads. “Carrying this rich spectrum of colors to the screens is another goal of TRT 6.”

TRT’s multilingual channel coordination department also introduced TRT Avaz on March 21, 2009, which broadcasts news and scripted programs in a number of Turkic dialects, including Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Turcoman. TRT Avaz reaches an audience of 250 million in 27 states and 13 autonomous republics in the Balkans, the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia.

The network says it aims “to be [the] common voice of all Turkic-origin people and bridge the societies despite geographical distance.”

A third international network, TRT Turk, has been on the air since May 8, 2009, and broadcasts joint productions with Turkic Republics.

Covering all Central Asian territories of Turkic peoples through satellite transmission, TRT Turk broadcasts educational, cultural, drama, entertainment, music and news programs with commercial breaks. If required, commercials in the indigenous languages of the countries where the shows are broadcast are allowed.

TRT has been in a rapid transition and development period over the last two years, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Ar?nç, who is responsible for state-run media organizations, said in a speech in early April marking the introduction of the news channel TRT Haber.

“We are no longer following global developments via international agencies or TV stations, but hearing reports from our own correspondents based around the world,” Ar?nç said, noting that the TRT family will be expanded with more international channels.

“We are planning to start an English-language broadcast news channel after the Arabic one,” the deputy prime minister said. “When we complete our work, TRT will be one of the biggest media companies in the world. We are working to represent Turkey and our people globally.”

The TRT Arabic broadcasting network launched last week, and officials confirmed that preparations for a Persian broadcasting channel were underway.

The Web site www.trt-world.com publishes news in 30 languages.