TRT Director-General Sobaci elected president of world's largest broadcast union

TRT Director-General Mehmet Zahid Sobaci has been elected as the President of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) during the 60th General Assembly of the union.

"My election as the President of ABU is significant for Türkiye’s goal of becoming a leading country in all fields,” said Sobaci, adding that the ABU presidency is especially gratifying as it coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Republic.

The 60th general assembly meeting of the ABU, the world's largest broadcasting union with approximately 3.5 billion viewers and 246 members from 65 countries, was hosted by the South Korean Broadcasting System and held in Seoul from October 31 to November 1, 2023.

“Türkiye must continue its rise and strengthen its position as a leading nation. The century of Türkiye encompasses various fields, including domestic politics, foreign policy, energy, environment, economy, industry, education and technology,” Sobaci said.

“This period signifies Türkiye’s ambitious goals, and its determination to achieve them. Therefore, we can consider the ABU presidency as a step and contribution towards achieving the objectives Türkiye has set in the international media arena," he said.

‘TRT is telling the world about the world’

The newly-elected ABU president and TRT Director-General also emphasised the importance of channels run by Türkiye's public broadcaster, Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT).

“With channels like TRT World and TRT Arabi, along with our international digital news platforms, we have transformed into a broadcasting institution that tells the world about the world,” Sobaci said.

“While fulfilling this mission, we have not neglected our responsibilities. We have strived to present developments, conflicts and issues around the world from a more equitable perspective,” he said.

“We have aimed to be the voice of the world's conscience, the voice of those who are often ignored. In light of the recent massacre in Palestine, we have endeavoured to put this into practice.”

During Sobaci's tenure as ABU president, TRT will host the 61st ABU general assembly meeting in Istanbul, which is expected to take place in October 2024.