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Turkey’s public broadcaster registers as foreign agent

TRT's registration comes as the Donald Trump administration has been pressing state broadcasters to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - OCTOBER 21: President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during TRT World Forum 2019, held under main theme of "Globalization in Retreat: Risks and Opportunities" in Istanbul, Turkey on October 21, 2019. (Photo by Murat Kula/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Turkey’s national public broadcaster has registered as a foreign agent, according to new lobbying filings with the Justice Department.

According to the filings, TRT — the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation — is engaged in "political activities" as defined by the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) through its "preparation and dissemination of informational materials" via its English-language TRT World channel. TRT launched TRT World in 2015 to provide a 24-hour Turkish perspective on world affairs. It is based in Istanbul and has broadcast centers in Washington, London and Singapore.

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