TRT 1, the first television channel in Turkey, started their test transmissions on January 31, 1968, and commenced full national broadcasts in December 1971. It was the only channel in Turkey until September 15, 1986, when TRT started test transmissions for 2. Kanal. It is also available in Azerbaijan via terrestrial broadcasting.
The mission of TRT 1 is to enhance people’s lives in Turkey through programs that inform, educate and entertain, all in one, as a wholesome endeavor. TRT 1, as a public broadcaster, targets a variety of audiences among which family has the priority, followed by a general public with a set of diverse attributes including age, occupation, education and status. TRT-1 aims in broadcasting to reinforce people’s sense of national unity and integrity as well as providing news and music for them. On 19 May 2012 by changing the logo and generics, has a 16:9 image format.