The history of Kurdish print and digital media spans from the late 19th century to today's digital era. We have compiled the key milestones of Kurdish journalism, from the first physical printed newspaper to multi-lingual digital broadcasting, in a Q&A format.
Question 1: What was the first physically printed Kurdish newspaper and when was it published?
Answer: The first physically printed Kurdish newspaper in history is Kurdîstan. It was first published on April 22, 1898, by Mikdat Mithat Bedirxan, the son of Bedirxan Beg. The inaugural issue was printed in Cairo, the capital of Egypt. Due to political pressure and censorship during the Ottoman era, subsequent issues were published in various European cities, including Geneva, Switzerland. Printed in the Arabic script, Kurdîstan ran for a total of 31 issues. The date of its first issue, April 22, is celebrated today as Kurdish Journalists' Day.
Question 2: How did Kurdish journalism begin in the digital and internet media space?
Answer: Kurdish journalism in digital media began in the second half of the 1990s through early internet networks (mIRC, ICQ, etc.) and local digital newsletter initiatives. Early examples include the Kurdish digital extension of Ardahan Newspaper, established in 1995. By the 2000s, digital Kurdish media expanded rapidly with the transition of traditional print newspapers (such as Azadiya Welat) to online platforms, alongside the launch of fully internet-based news websites and agencies.
Question 3: Which was the first newspaper to publish in Turkish, Kurdish, and English while covering all Kurdish dialects, and who founded it? Answer:
The first newspaper to publish in three languages (Turkish, Kurdish, and English) and incorporate various Kurdish dialects was Ardahan Newspaper (Ardahan Rojname), founded by Mehmet Ali Arslan. Under his initiative, the outlet produced content across Kurmanji, Sorani, Leki, Kelhuri, and Kirmanjki (Zazaki) dialects. Furthermore, it periodically included Luri among the Kurdish dialects and published numerous news stories in this language.
Newspaper TR
