Media assets

Television: CyBC 1, CyBC 2, CyBC HD, RIK Sat, RIK World

Radio: First Channel, Second Channel, Third Channel, Fourth Channel, External Service

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

CyBC was established as a legal entity by the CyBC Law. It is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of nine members appointed by the country’s government (Council of Ministers). In 2024, the government appointed a new board of directors. On January 19, 2024, Stavros Georgiades, a professor at Frederick University, was appointed as the new Chairman of the CyBC board, with Christina Sarri as the Vice President. This replaced the board that had appointed Thanasis Tsokos as CEO in January 2022.

In May 2024, the government launched a disciplinary investigation into Thanasis Tsokos, who was the acting Director General, over allegations of financial mismanagement and abuse of power. The CyBC board subsequently voted to suspend him for three months, and he was replaced by an acting Director General. Tsokos’ legal team challenged the suspension, arguing the decision was unlawful and that the board itself had an unlawful composition. The case was brought before the Administrative Court for review.

Source of funding and budget

CyBC was initially funded through a tax on electricity, which served as a disguised license fee. Since 2000, most of the broadcaster’s funding has come from a state subsidy from the national budget.

According to publicly available data, CyBC received a state subsidy of €32.8 million in 2019. In 2022, CyBC acknowledged financial problems and pledged to “modernize” its operations, facing criticism from Members of Parliament (MPs) for its large staff and high expenditures.

Parliament approved CyBC’s budget of €39.3 million for 2024, with €26.7 million allocated to personnel expenses. This approval came amid tensions with staff unions, who threatened to strike if their salaries were not paid. The broadcaster’s draft budget for 2025 has also been a subject of discussion, though specific final figures for 2025 and 2026 are still under review as part of the broader national budgetary process.

Editorial independence

Since 1959, CyBC has operated independently of direct government-imposed rules on its editorial policy. However, the government exerts indirect control by having full decision-making power over the station’s yearly budget and the appointment of its board of directors. This allows the political party in power to influence the station’s editorial decisions.

Academic studies have shown that CyBC often serves the interests of the political party in power. Concerns were raised in recent years about the criteria used to invite MPs to shows and accusations of canceling programs for political reasons persisted, leading various media outlets to label CyBC as a “government mouthpiece.”

In late 2024, a report by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts recommended that Cyprus “strengthen the presence of Armenian and Cypriot Maronite Arabic in broadcasting,” highlighting a need for more inclusive and diverse content on public media. No domestic statute or independent assessment mechanism to validate CyBC’s editorial independence has been identified.

August 2025

Media assets

Television: BRT1, BRT2

Radio: Bayrak Radyosu, Bayrak International, Bayrak FM, Bayrak Klasik, Bayrak Turk Muzigi, Bayrak Radyo Haber

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

BRTK was established by the BRTK Law of 1983 as a public entity owned by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus government. The highest governing authority at BRTK is a seven-member board, with a majority appointed by the authorities. This includes the BRTK director, who is also a board member, two other members appointed by the government, and another member appointed by the security forces. The remaining three members are appointed by the station’s staff, academic institutions, and the press, with one representative from each group.

In terms of management, the current General Manager of BRTK is Meryem Özkurt, with Salih Can Doratli serving as Chairman and Eray Göksoylu as Vice Chairman.

Source of funding and budget

Under the BRTK Law, BRTK is required to be funded through various sources, including advertising revenues, commercial sales, and donations. The law specifies that the government is responsible for covering any financial shortfalls the station may experience due to slower commercial sales.

In recent years, the Turkish government in Cyprus has consistently provided nearly the entire budget of the BRTK. In 2020, approximately TRY 124m (US15.2m) of BRTK’s total budget of TRY 126m came from the state budget, according to government data. In 2022, BRTK received a state subsidy of TRY 245.5m (US13.5m), which covered most of its expenses. Parliament approved a budget of TRY 1.03bn (US$35.6m) for BRTK for 2024. Data regarding the 2025-2026 budget for BRTK is not publicly available.

Editorial independence

As a state-owned corporation in Cyprus, BRTK’s editorial agenda is heavily influenced by the Turkish government’s authorities. An ad hoc content analysis for this project run by the Media and Journalism Research Center in May 2022 found a visible bias in the station’s coverage, with most of the news focusing on the activities of the President and the government of the Northern Cyprus Republic.

While BRTK states on its website that “neutral” journalism is one of the values it abides by, no domestic statute establishing the station’s editorial independence was identified during the latest round of research. Most news reports broadcast from Bayrak are provided courtesy of the Turkish News Agency – Cyprus (TAK).

August 2025

Media assets

News agency: CNA

State Media Matrix Typology

Independent State-Funded (ISF)

Ownership and governance

The CNA operates under a 1989 law, which established it as an independent and autonomous institution. It is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors, primarily comprising representatives of journalists from institutions such as the Cyprus Journalists Union, the Cyprus Newspaper and Magazine Publishers Association, and CyBC. Additionally, there are members of the Press and Information Office (PIO) at the Ministry of Interior on the board, but they do not form the majority.

Since September 15, 2024, the Chairman of the Board has been Andreas Frangos, succeeding Iosif Iosif. The position of Director is held by Dinos Phinicarides, who was appointed on May 7, 2024. Prior to this, Giorgos Christodoulidis served as Acting Director from March 2021 to April 2024.

Source of funding and budget

The CNA does not publicly disclose its financial data. However, according to media reports, the agency’s funding comes from a combination of state subsidies and revenues from subscriptions sold to news media and state authorities. The state contributes over 50% to the CNA’s annual budget. In 2022, the CNA operated with a budget of €2.9 million, with €2.1 million from the state. In 2023, the budget was €2.94 million, with the government’s contribution increasing to €2.58 million.

Editorial independence

The government does not impose editorial rules on the CNA, and there is no evidence of direct government control. An ad hoc content analysis of the agency’s editorial output carried out by Media and Journalism Research Center in May 2022 and again in May 2024 found consistent results: the content was diverse and balanced.

The CNA Law formally established the agency as a news outlet with complete editorial independence. However, it’s worth noting that no independent assessment or oversight mechanism has been identified to validate this editorial independence.

August 2025

Media assets

News agency: TAK

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

TAK continues to be owned by the Government of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Its highest governing body is an Administrative Council appointed by the government, a structure that has remained consistent, according to information collected by the Media and Journalism Research Center (MJRC).

Dr. Fehmi Gürdallı is the Director-General of TAK. This appointment follows the previous chairmanship of Aydın Akkurt.

Source of funding and budget

As reported by local journalists interviewed for this report in May 2024, TAK is still primarily funded by the Government of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Editorial independence

TAK’s editorial content remains under the control of the Government of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which local experts and journalists assert ensures the agency represents the interests of its backer, Turkey. No domestic statute or independent assessment/oversight mechanism has been identified to validate the agency’s editorial independence.

Recent editorial changes have come under scrutiny. For example, a Media Ethics Committee issued a public warning to TAK in April 2025 for a mistranslation that replaced the word “invaders” with “Turks” in a report on a statement by Archbishop Georgios. While TAK issued a correction, the committee found it insufficient and lacking in transparency. The incident was highlighted as an example of a bad editorial change that distorted critical context and contributed to hostile narratives.

August 2025