Açık Radyo’s terrestrial broadcast ended at 13:00 local time on 16 October, following a decision by the Turkish Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) to revoke its FM licence. The independent station, which had been broadcasting for nearly 30 years on FM and over 22 years online, held a press conference at 17:30 the same day, attended by a large crowd of supporters and media.
During the press conference, Açık Radyo’s General Director Ömer Madra addressed the audience with the slogan “Keep Açık Radyo Open!” He urged listeners, supporters, and the public to rally behind the station, calling for louder support for free journalism. “Wherever you are, be the voice of your radio and say it loud: Açık Radyo must stay open,” Madra stated.
Madra also criticised RTÜK’s decision to revoke the station’s licence, regardless of any “technical or bureaucratic justification”, labelling it as an attempt to silence the public’s voice. “This decision will be recorded in history as such and remembered that way forever,” he said.
While the FM broadcast and the simultaneous internet stream have ceased, Madra clarified that the station’s closure is not definitive. He confirmed that Açık Radyo is exploring other licence options and has filed a legal appeal to suspend RTÜK’s decision, with the judicial process ongoing.
Açık Radyo had received several fines and temporary suspension orders from RTÜK in recent years, culminating in the revocation of its FM licence after the station used the term “Armenian Genocide” in a programme. Despite previous legal wins allowing the station to continue, the final ruling against the station was issued in late September, leading to the current shutdown.
