Cihan Radyo 🇺🇸

Cihan Radyo, meaning "World Radio" in Turkish, was closely linked to the Gülen movement, also known as the Hizmet movement. The radio station broadcast a mix of Islamic teachings, sermons, discussions, news, current affairs, music, literature, and educational content aimed at promoting education and self-improvement. Its target audience was a conservative, religious demographic in Turkey, particularly those sympathetic to the Gülen movement's values. Cihan Radyo broadcast across Turkey, reaching a significant portion of the population. The station faced accusations of biased reporting and promoting the Gülen movement's agenda, with critics alleging it disseminated propaganda and influenced public opinion. The Turkish government, under President Erdoğan, accused the Gülen movement of infiltrating state institutions and attempting to overthrow the government, leading to a crackdown. Following the attempted coup in Turkey in July 2016, Cihan Radyo was shut down by government decree, along with other media outlets associated with the Gülen movement. The Turkish government justified the closures under emergency decrees issued after the attempted coup. The closure impacted the media landscape in Turkey, reducing media pluralism and limiting voices critical of the government. Before its closure, Cihan Radyo maintained an online presence, allowing listeners to stream its broadcasts online, but this online presence was also shut down.