TRT, Turkey�s national broadcaster, has a new general manager, Mr. Ibrahim Sahin. The appointment approved last Wednesday by President Abdullah Gül. In his first interview after his appointment, Sahin noted that Turkey should compete in the Eurovision Song Contest with a song in Turkish.
Born in 1962 in Amasya, Turkey, İbrahim Şahin is TRT’s (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation) new general manager. In his first interview Şahin noted he wants to see improvements at TRT and eventually to be on par with international broadcasters such as the BBC or CNN. The new head of the Turkish national broadcaster, who decides on the singer to represent Turkey in the Eurovision Song Contest, noted that "Turkey should compete with its rivals with a song in Turkish!"
Is this a promise? A decision? Or just a comment? For sure Turkish entries in the competition since the introduction of the free language rule in 1999, achieved their best results when were performed with English lyrics; in 2003, Sertab Erenerwith thesong Every way that I can won the contest – Turkey's only victory to date.
In 2004 Athena and their song For Real ended 4th in Istanbul and last May in Helsinki Kenan Doğulu with Shake it up Şekerim came 4th as well. However in 1997, Dinle, performed by Şebnem Paker with Turkish lyrics ended 3rd and considering that 2007 Eurovision Song Contest winner Marija Šerifović performed her song Molitva in Serbian, these are valid proofs that the language is not always an obstacle.
Although no newshad been released about Turkey's selection process for their2008 Eurovision Song Contest entry, it now seems very likely that the next entry will be sung in Turkish.
