Samanyolu TV was an international Turkish language TV station, with its headquarters in Istanbul. Samanyolu TV was previously owned by Yayıncılık A.Ş. Yayıncılık A.Ş. is a media company that operates radio and television broadcasting, publication and distribution of newspapers. The first satellite service for Samanyolu TV was aired towards Central Asia. Samanyolu TV proceeded into North America by 1999, with Turksat as its new mainstream satellite operator. Samanyolu TV later created two official websites for people of Turkish origins, both North American audiences, and Turkish audiences. These two websites also included online streaming and social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube in 2005-2013. On 19 July 2016, Samanyolu TV's license was revoked and the channel closed by the Radio and Television Supreme Council due to alleged links with the Gülen Movement following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt.
Naming and influences
Samanyolu TV is generally assumed to have adopted the name with religious connotations. In essence Milky Way peddles the notion of a "other" universe aside from the present world. One may see that the title of the television station plays an important role for the list of programs it airs for its audiences. Samanyolu TV contains several BBC programs that have heavy emphasis on culture, politics, and utmost religion. Samanyolu TV was funded by many individuals and companies. But the most constructive contribution was from by Fethullah Gülen. Gülen is a well-known Turkish Muslim preacher, scholar and author. Gülen is currently living in exile in the United States, due to the formation of the Gülen Movement which has had much controversy and criticism in Turkey.
Programming
Samanyolu TV programs contained controversial contents with relation to Islamic teachings and their relation to cultural norms. One from the many examples that implements religious content is the television series Küçük Kiyamet. Samanyolu TV hds two policies regarding commercials, one for local viewers in Turkey where the station is wide open for a range of commercials and another for North American audiences, where the commercials are limited and the same commercials played repeatedly. Aside from commercials, Samanyolu TV included a new program entitled Ebru TV designed for English-speaking audiences and open to people of any cultural background. Ebru TV was most popular for individuals residing in Canada and the United States. Samanyolu TV also had an official news program that broadcasts locally and internationally to its viewers. Samanyolu TV included children programs that are family-friendly, with children's programs such as Caillou on the channel. Furthermore, for all audiences, the channel includes shows such as Yeşil Elma, travel shows such as Ayna ; and also included programs imitating the Discovery Channel, with shows such as Belgesel, Farklı Desenler is another popular television drama series.
On 14 December 2014 Turkish police arrested more than two dozen senior journalists and media executives, including Samanyolu TV General Manager Hidayet Karaca on charges of "forming, leading and being a member of an armed terrorist organization." The arrested are people associated with the Gülen movement. The Turkish government accuses the movement of infiltrating the police and judiciary. A statement by the US State Department cautioned Turkey not to violate its "own democratic foundations" while drawing attention to raids against media outlets "openly critical of the current Turkish government." EU foreign affairs chiefFederica Mogherini and EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said that the arrests went "against European values" and "are incompatible with the freedom of media, which is a core principle of democracy".
