Cem TV Suspends Show After Argument on Kurdish Songs

Cem TV announced the suspension of “Gonca Elmas and 7 Colors” show after an argument on Ahmet Kaya and Kurdish songs. 

On April 13, musicians Mehmet Apak and Ekrem Arpak have been invited as guests of the show. The show has been suspended when show host Gonca Elmas said, “I prefer Turkish songs on my show, I won’t allow Arabic songs, if you wish to hear those you can watch an Arabic channel.”   

Cem TV: It’s against our broadcasting policy

When the news broke, some sources said Elmas’s contract was over. Following bianet’s inquiry, Cem TV made the following statement: 

“Cem TV and Cem Radio have been broadcasting in Kurdish since the day we started our broadcasting life. What Elmas remarked on the show is against our broadcasting policy. We warned her on this issue, but she was insistent on her attitude towards it. That’s why we suspended the show.”

On April 13, Arpak performed a song after the lynch attempt on Ahmet Kaya. Following the performance, an argument began on Kurdish songs. Elmas said, “Whoever services to that head of jackals who murdered 40 thousand of our citizens, is our enemy. An artist should be careful about those extreme points while expressing his political views.” On Elmas’s comments, Arpak said that Ahmet Kaya doesn’t have those features she mentioned. He added, Kurdish songs have the right to be performed in Turkey as much as Arabic songs.   

Elmas replied “I prefer Turkish songs on my show, I won’t allow Arabic songs, if you wish to hear those you can watch an Arabic channel” and Arpak brothers left the show. 

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.