TV, Radio and Satellite

Local terrestial TV does not broadcast any English language programmes. However, in 2005 FRT began broadcasting local news in English. If you like football, NTV does show regular English premiership football matches in the season (Turkish commentary). There are two local Fethiye TV stations.

Option 1 - Digiturk by Satellite

Turkey's equivalent of Sky. From 15 YTL to 89 YTL per month. Installation 90 YTL includes dish and digibox. Credit card or residency are needed to sign up. Adadigital is the Fethiye area agent located on the road into Fethiye past the Migros junction about 100m on the right. Tel 0252 313 83 00

Pros are:

• • • • • Service standards are excellent
          • • • Movies are shown in original language but Turkish can be chosen by pressing a button on the remote.
              • BBC Prime - Eastenders is up to date but most other programmes are 1 - 2 years old.
              • BBC World, CNN and Euro News in English
              • Discovery, National Geographic, History Channel, Hallmark and Reality in English.
              • NTV shows English premiership games
              • Reliable and quality service.
              • You can start and stop it quickly - so if you don't want TV while you are away for a month or two you can stop the service - max 3 month. An email to Digiturk quoting your reference is all you need to do [ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ]!

Cons

• • Slow electronic TV guide (at least there is one!), but a monthly magazine guide is available for 2.00YTL. Some translation is required on the daily TV guide.
  • No teletext service caried so you can't read BBC text.

Option 2 - Twin satellite dish system Turksat 42 east and Hotbird 13 east

This is the system that really promises the world but delivers very little. Local electrical suppliers will try to sell this to you but it really is a waste of money if you want reliable English speaking TV. Free to air channels can be picked up but most systems are sold to Brits on the basis that they can de-scramble pay TV. Most of the channels are either French, Italian or Arabic. Turkish satellite at 42 east only has one channel with any English language programming (CNBC-e) - all the rest are Turkish.

Satellite decoder box from 160 YTL and dish/LNB and installation around 100 YTL.

Pros are:

• • Over 1,000 TV and radio channels (if quantity is your thing)
  • BBC Prime after de-scramble
  • BBC World, CNN and Euronews news channels in English and clear Teletext (if supported by TV/Sat Box)
  • BBC World Service radio, Holiday FM by Capital radio with up to date news and music (aimed at holiday makers in Spain) in English. Many foreign classical and pop music radio stations and some are uninterrupted.
  • CNBC-e mostly English/USA programming is very good but evenings only during the weekends.
  • May be able to pick up other satellites if installing a motorised dish or bigger dish (as yet no information) but of course your expense will increase dramatically.

Cons

• • Frequent code changes mean that de-scrambled TV channels can be lost. Requires code updates at around 15 - 20 YTL from local TV shops or manual input from codes available on the internet. In fact the Multivision range of channels cannot now be decoded without yet more costly equipment.
  • Twin dishes needed taking up roof or balcony space.
  • Very little English speaking TV available.
  • NTV is scrambled for English premiership matches

Option 3 - Sky by Satellite

If you have a sky box you can pick up Sky TV from Eurobird at 28.5 East (Not Astra 19 East). You will need between a 1.5 meter to 3 meter dish. The bigger the better. Even then not all channels can be picked up because of the strength and direction of some of the satellite beams.  Free Sat package now frees subscribers from monthly subsciptions.

Pros

• • All of your favourite TV and radio - well some of them depending on your dish size.

Cons

• • Cost of dish and installation. You will need to secure a 3 meter dish well - a 3 meter dish in a gale is quite a pull and might make your house fall over depending on its foundations!!.
  • Sky box problems may not be able to be fixed locally - fit a surge protector to prevent it getting fried by a spike.
  • Need to maintain an address in England or have friends willing to register on your behalf. Technically this breaks the Sky agreement you will sign.
  • Strangers may turn up at your house wanting to watch Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

Option 4 - The Internet

If you have a PC and an internet connection you can pick up English radio from many websites including www.bbc.co.uk.

There are also a number of TV and other music stations available on-line. You will need a fast broadband internet connection for quality but that's readily available in most areas.

Radio

From local FM broadcasts you can pick up the following:

• TRT Radio - Some English language DJs in the evening playing contemporary music
• TRT Radio 3 (FM 89.30) - Classical, jazz, blues, pop and more. News in English, Turkish, German and French at 09.00, 12.00, 14.00, 17.00, 19.00, 22.00.
• Power FM (100.3) and Metro FM (96.4) European and USA pop music, Turkish DJs
• Turkish music stations
• FRT (Fethiye Radio Television) - Sundays 18:00 - 20:00 The Music Box show with Grace Carter playing oldies.

And in some areas, if you are high enough, radio from Rhodes.

And, if you have a shortwave radion you can sometimes pick up the feint sounds from the BBC World Service, if you are lucky!