The mass media in Turkmenistan are among the world's most tightly controlled. The press is controlled by the government, which funds nearly all

newspapers A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports ...

. Criticism of the president is absolutely forbidden. State licensing policy effectively eliminates all outlets not reflecting official views. To avoid reprisal, domestic and foreign

journalists A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...

engage in

self-censorship Self-censorship is the act of censoring or classifying one's own discourse. This is done out of fear of, or deference to, the sensibilities or preferences (actual or perceived) of others and without overt pressure from any specific party or insti ...

. The only domestic news agency is the State News Agency of Turkmenistan. The Anadolu Agency of Turkey maintains an office in Ashgabat, and

TRT The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT; Turkish : ) is the national public broadcaster of Turkey, founded in 1964. TRT was for many years the only television and radio provider in Turkey. Before the introduction of commercial radio i ...

has a representative there. Agence France Press, Associated Press, Reuters, and ITAR-TASS receive reports from stringers. Broadcasting is under the full control of the "Turkmenistan" Television Broadcasting Center, which operates seven national television channels. Little recent information on radio stations is available.Turkmenistan country profile
Library of Congress Federal Research Division (February 2007). ''This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.''

Reporters Without Borders Reporters Without Borders (RWB; french: Reporters sans frontières; RSF) is an international non-profit and non-governmental organization with the stated aim of safeguarding the right to freedom of information. It describes its advocacy as found ...

' 2022 Press Freedom Index ranked Turkmenistan 177th out of 180 countries surveyed, ahead of Iran, Eritrea, and North Korea. It has consistently ranked at or near the bottom of most measures of press freedom since the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Newspapers and magazines

Twenty-two newspapers (2 privately owned) and 14 magazines (none privately owned) are published in Turkmenistan. Content of the state-owned newspapers differs little to not at all, consisting of republishing of copy from the state-owned news agency. They are very expensive by Turkmen standards, with the most expensive newspaper costing $0.50. A one-year subscription equals one month minimum wage. Some domestic online newspapers have been founded, notably Arzuw and Infoabad. Russian magazines and Uzbek newspapers are sold in some kiosks.

National Newspapers

Electronic copies of most state-published newspapers may be downloaded fro
the website of the State Printing Office
*''

Neytralny Turkmenistan ''Neytralny Turkmenistan'' (russian: Нейтральный Туркменистан) is the daily official Russian-language newspaper in Turkmenistan. The daily newspaper serves as the official government gazette of the Cabinet of Ministers of ...

'' ( Russian: Neutral Turkmenistan - published six days per week in Russian, the main Russian-medium newspaper of Turkmenistan. Founded in 1924, during the Soviet period called ''Turkmenskaya Iskra'' (russian: Turkmen Spark) *''Turkmenistan'' - the main Turkmen-medium newspaper of Turkmenistan, published in

Turkmen Turkmen, Türkmen, Turkoman, or Turkman may refer to: Peoples Historical ethnonym * Turkoman (ethnonym), ethnonym used for the Oghuz Turks during the Middle Ages Ethnic groups * Turkmen in Anatolia and the Levant (Seljuk and Ottoman-Turkish desc ...

six times per week since 1920. *''Watan'' (

: Homeland) - Published three times per week, during the Soviet period called ''Yash Kommunistler'' ( tk, Young Communists). *''Nesil'' (

: Generation) - Owned and published by Magtymguly Youth Organization three times per week. *''Adalat'' (

: Justice) - Owned and published by Ministry of Justice weekly. *''Rysgal'' (

: Welfare) - Owned and published weekly by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan; the country's first and only private newspaper. *''Türkmen Sporty'' (

: Turkmen Sports) - Owned and published weekly by the State Sports and Youth Committee of Turkmenistan. *''Nebit-Gaz'' (

: Oil and Gas) - Owned and published by Türkmengaz state concern, now an electronic newspaper. Previously published, starting in 2011, by the now-defunct Ministry of Oil and Gas. *''Mugallymlar Gazeti'' (

: Pedagogical Newspaper) - Owned and published three times per week by Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. *''Habarlar'' (

: News) - Owned and published by the Economic Editorial Association three times per week, mainly economic and commercial news, classified advertising, since 1975. *''Zaman Turkmenistan'' - Owned and published by Turkish newspaper Zaman. It was published weekly in Turkmen. It was closed by the government after a coup attempt in Turkey. *''Edebiyat we Sungat'' (

: Literature and Art) - Owned and published weekly since 1958 by the Ministry of Culture. *''Bereketli Toprak'' (

: Fertile Soil) - Owned and published weekly since 2008 Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of Turkmenistan. *''Türkmen Dünýäsi'' (

: Turkmen World.) - Owned and published twice monthly since 1991 by the

Humanitarian Association of World Turkmens The Humanitarian Association of World Turkmens () or GATM is the organization meant to bring together Turkmen people in Turkmenistan and other parts of the world.

. *''Türkmeniň Ýüpek Ýoly'' (

: Turkmen Silk Road) - Owned and published weekly by the

Railways Agency of Turkmenistan The Railways Agency of Turkmenistan ( tk, "Türkmendemirýollary" agentligi, previously the Ministry of Railways ( tk, Türkmenistanyň demir ýol ulaglary ministrligi), is a government agency in Turkmenistan responsible for oversight of the st ...

. Published since 1936. *''Esger'' (

: Soldier) - Owned and published weekly since 1993 by the Ministry of Defence of Turkmenistan. *''Biznes Reklama'' (

: Business Advertising) - Owned and published by the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations. *''Galkynysh'' (

: Renaissance) - Owned and published weekly since 1997 by the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan.

Regional Newspapers

*''Ashgabat'' *''Maru-Şahu-Jahan'' - Mary Velayat, published since 1931, in Turkmen, three times per week. *''Ahal Durmuşy'' (Ahal Life) - Ahal Velayat, published in Turkmen three times in a week. *''Daşoguz Habarlary'' (Dashoguz News) - Dashoguz Velayat, published in Turkmen three times in a week. *''Türkmen Gündogary'' (Turkmen Orient) - Lebap Velayat, published in Turkmen three times in a week. * ''Balkan'' - Balkan Velayat, published in Turkmen three times in a week.

Online Newspapers

Arzuw News
- independent, private news agency.
Azatlyk Radiosy
- ( Radio Free Europe Turkmen Service).
Biz barde
- independent, private outlet social network.
Business Turkmenistan
- independent, business news and information service.
Chronicles of Turkmenistan
- foreign-based independent media outlet.
Gundogar News
- state-controlled, of unknown ownership.
Gundogar.org
- foreign-based independent media outlet.
InAshgabat
- independent, private news outlet and internet portal focused on Ashgabat local news.
Infoabad
- independent, private news outlet and internet portal.
Orient
- independent, private information agency owned by «Media Turkmen», founded in 2017.
Parahat Info
- news aggregator. *Türkiýe-Türkmenistan
Türkmen Habar

Turkmen News
- foreign-based independent media outlet, formerly known as "Alternative News of Turkmenistan".
Turkmen Yurt TV
- foreign-based independent media *Türkmen Inform
Turkmenistan Today
- ( TDH official website) - state-owned.
Turkmenistan: Golden Age
- service of

, state-owned.
Turkmenistan.ru
- foreign-based independent media outlet.
Turkmenportal
- news aggregator and internet portal.

Magazines

*Altyn Asyr Ykdysadyýeti (Turkmen: The Golden Age Economy) - Owned and published monthly since 2000 by Ministry of Economy and Development of Turkmenistan.
Diýar
(Turkmen: The Land) - Owned and published monthly since 1992 by

Cabinet of Ministers (Turkmenistan) The Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan ( tk, Türkmenistanyň Ministrler Kabineti) is the chief executive body in Turkmenistan. The Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan is appointed by the President of Turkmenistan who is both the chief of stat ...

.
Dünya Edebiýaty
(Turkmen: World Literature) - Owned and published monthly by Turkmen State Publishing Service.
Garagum
(Turkmen: Karakum) - Owned and published monthly by Turkmen State Publishing Service.
Güneş
(Turkmen: Sun) - Owned and published monthly by Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan.
Saglyk
(Turkmen: Health) - Owned and published semimonthly since 1990 by Ministry of Health of Turkmenistan. * Türkmenistan Sport *Türkmenistanda Ylym we Tehnika (Turkmen: Science and Technology in Turkmenistan) - Published semimonthly.
Türkmenistanyň lukmançylygy
(Turkmen: Turkmenistan's Medicine) *Täze Oba (Turkmen: New Village) - Owned and published monthly since 1929 by Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of Turkmenistan. *Возрождение (Vozrozhdeniye, ''Renaissance'' in Russian) - Owned and published monthly by the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan. Published since 1937, previously by the Turkmen Communist Party.
Zenan Kalby
(Turkmen: Woman's Heart) - Owned and published monthly by

Women's Union of Turkmenistan The Women's Union of Turkmenistan (TZB; ) is a mass women's organisation in Turkmenistan. For a long time, Women's Union was the only women organization permitted in the country. Advocating for women's rights, this organization appeared as a non- ...

. Published since 1931.

Television

In Turkmenistan, satellite TV from Russia and Turkey is popular. Viewers subscribe to

Cable TV Cable television is a system of delivering television programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted through coaxial cables, or in more recent systems, light pulses through fibre-optic cables. This contrasts with broadc ...

and IPTV, which are generally available for a monthly fee of 10 manat per month. Turkmenistan broadcasts 7 public television channels (6 of them on the territory of the whole country, and 1 only in Ashgabat). All of them are broadcast in the Turkmen language with the exception of the Turkmenistan news channel, which broadcasts in 7 languages. They do not differ from each other in news content. These sources of information are an ideological mouthpiece of the ruling regime in the country. Any opinion or idea that differs from the President of Turkmenistan cannot be broadcast (except if the criticism is made by the president himself). They also present informative and entertaining programs and movies produced nationally, sports events with the participation of Turkmen sportsmen. Sometimes ''Altyn Asyr'' broadcasts popular movies with Turkmen dubbing in the evenings. ''Turkmenistan Sport'' regularly broadcasts

Formula 1 Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...

, football matches of Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga and another sports thanks to an agreement with an Irish company Setanta Sports. Any television broadcast 24 hour. Only state companies and institutions advertising to Turkmen televisions.

TV Channels

* Altyn Asyr (formerly TMT-1; English: Golden Age) - The main channel of the country. *Yaşlyk (formerly TMT-2; English: Youth) - Channel catering to the youth of Turkmenistan. *

Miras Miras is a village and a former municipality in the Korçë County, southeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Devoll. The population at the 2011 census was 6,577.

(formerly TMT-3; English: Heritage) - TV channel about the culture and heritage of the Turkmen people *

Türkmenistan Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south ...

(formerly TMT-4) - international channel broadcast in seven different languages. *

Türkmen Owazy Turkmen, Türkmen, Turkoman, or Turkman may refer to: Peoples Historical ethnonym * Turkoman (ethnonym), ethnonym used for the Oghuz Turks during the Middle Ages Ethnic groups * Turkmen in Anatolia and the Levant (Seljuk and Ottoman-Turkish desc ...

(English: Turkmen Voice) - Turkmen music channel. *Aşgabat - TV channel broadcasting programs about Ashgabat. * Türkmenistan Sport - sports channel.

IPTV

AŞTU The Ashgabat City Telephone Network ( tk, Aşgabat şäher telefon ulgamy, AŞTU) is the telecommunications company in Turkmenistan which provides local telephone, CDMA and IPTV service to subscribers in the city of Ashgabat. It provides long-di ...

(''Aşgabat şäher telefon ulgamy'', English: Ashgabat City Telephone System) - the company announced that they have 104,062 subscribers in 2018.

Cable television

The

state-owned State ownership, also called government ownership and public ownership, is the ownership of an industry, asset, or enterprise by the state or a public body representing a community, as opposed to an individual or private party. Public ownersh ...

enterprise Turkmen Telekom operates cable TV activities in the country. The service is not a brand.

Radio

There are four radio stations in Turkmenistan: * TR
Radio Watan
(279 kHz & 102.7 MHz) * TR
Radio Çar-Tarapdan
(69.68 MHz) * TR
Radio Miras
(103.9 MHz) * TR
Radio Owazy
(101.3 & 104.4 MHz) TR1 broadcasts on longwave,

medium wave Medium wave (MW) is the part of the medium frequency (MF) radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting. The spectrum provides about 120 channels with more limited sound quality than FM stations on the FM broadcast band. During the daytime ...

, OIRT FM, and CCIR FM; TR2 and TR3 broadcast on medium wave and OIRT & CCIR FM; and TR4 broadcasts on CCIR FM. All four stations also broadcast on

DAB+ DAB, dab, dabs, or dabbing may refer to: Dictionaries * ''Dictionary of American Biography'', published under the auspices of the American Council of Learned Societies * ''Dictionary of Australian Biography'', published since 1949 Places * Dąb, ...

in Ashgabat and can be heard online globally via

Radio Garden Radio Garden is a non-profit Dutch radio and digital research project developed from 2013 to 2016, by the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision (under the supervision of Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg's Golo Föllmer), by the Tra ...

. There are no local or regional radio stations in the country.

References

Links

Newspapers in PDF

Online TV and radio
{{Asia topic, Media of Turkmenistan Turkmenistan