A Narrowing Corridor of Türkiye: The end of Açık Radyo

Açık Radyo has held an important place in Türkiye’s intellectual and cultural life for 30 years. For the past three years, I have been part of this big family through my program, “Anthropocene Conversations.” Being one of over 1300 broadcasters and preparing one of the approximately 1200 archived programs was a great honor for me. To be this productive at a radio station that has witnessed nearly 30 percent of the history of the Turkish Republic is truly a success that not every media outlet can achieve. During this time, while I shared knowledge with different guests and topics every week, I was also doing something I loved: learning.

Yet this week, learning that Açık Radyo’s 29 years and 11 months of broadcasting had come to an end brought me a kind of experience I had never anticipated, as someone who usually takes great pleasure in learning. This feeling represented a deep loss both as a broadcaster and as a listener.

For those who haven’t listened to it, Açık Radyo might seem like just a ‘regional’ station that began broadcasting on November 13, 1995, in Istanbul and its surroundings. But this is a very simplistic definition. Açık Radyo became a station that not only raised social awareness in Türkiye but also championed diversity and became a voice for freedom.

Without being tied to any political ideology, other than pluralist democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental human rights, it was an independent outlet that paid attention to diversity. In fact, in a media landscape dominated by major capital and power groups, it can be said that Açık Radyo was one of the rare independent media outlets in Türkiye—and perhaps in the world.

The shrinking of freedom: Açık Radyo and the narrow corridor

At this point, Daron Acemoğlu’s “Narrow Corridor” theory comes to mind. At times when freedom is shrinking, and society’s voice is being silenced, the importance of independent media outlets like Açık Radyo increases even more. Unfortunately, the cancellation of Açık Radyo’s license is an example of this shrinking freedom. As Acemoğlu points out, freedom is not just about making individual choices; it is about a balance within society that supports pluralism. Today, this balance is being disturbed.

The concept of diversity is very important to me because it is considered the key to coexistence in nature, backed by scientific evidence, of course. The same applies to human societies. Açık Radyo’s motto, “Open to all voices, colors, and vibrations of the universe,” reflected this understanding. In my experience, this is what Açık Radyo stood for. This is why the cancellation of its license represents a deep loss both personally and socially. As a broadcaster, I remained committed to reflecting what diversity means, covering topics ranging from Africa’s endemic birds to the climate crisis, from the loss of biodiversity to evolution, from climate change in literature to cultural issues. I tried to touch on all the voices and colors of the universe, freely…

A legacy of independent media and social change

For me, Açık Radyo was not just a media outlet; it was a symbol of social transformation and awareness. The silencing of this radio station is not only the loss of a media platform but also a significant loss for a wide segment of society. As I mentioned earlier, let me clarify what I mean by “Narrow Corridor” a bit further so that this situation may be better understood. Daron Acemoğlu, a Turkish economist who I recently learned has won the Nobel Prize, had beautifully analyzed the history of freedom with his colleagues, and the examples from history align so well with what we are experiencing today. I had even discussed this topic with him from a biodiversity perspective on Açık Radyo. As Acemoğlu mentioned during our conversation and in his book “The Narrow Corridor,” freedom is not just about “being able to do what one wants”; this is a narrow definition. True freedom depends on whether individuals have the necessary resources, institutional support from the state, and the ability to navigate societal constraints.

Acemoğlu’s theory, as I have mentioned earlier, once again highlights the importance of outlets that give voice to diversity in all its forms. The path to increasing freedom is not by imposing insurmountable boundaries through the state but by using state institutions to support social diversity and pluralism. However, the cancellation of Açık Radyo’s 30-year license goes entirely against this broader definition of freedom. Silencing a broadcasting platform that respects pluralism and social diversity means narrowing freedom and limiting public awareness. It is, in fact, to exclude a portion of society entirely from this narrow corridor.

A hope at the edge of the narrow corridor

From this perspective, Açık Radyo has been a modern representative of the long-standing radio tradition of our Republic since 1927, raising awareness on social and environmental issues worldwide. The decision by RTÜK to cancel this license does not only silence Açık Radyo but also closes down an important platform that addresses a broad audience.

As an Açık Radyo broadcaster, I must express my deep disappointment with this decision. Our society now needs access to knowledge, protected by diversity, more than ever, especially as we face the dangers of the climate crisis and the loss of biological diversity. To be hopeful about the future of our planet, we need knowledge—objective and accurate knowledge. But as things stand, it seems that all we have left is “a hope at the edge of the Narrow Corridor.”
Long live Açık Radyo—always free and always open!