The exporting of Turkish television series to the Middle East and Eastern Europe, which have resulted in the soaring popularity Turkish brands, continues at full-force. Bringing in 100 million dollars in exports this year alone, television shows from Turkey are now selling at higher prices than famous U.S. television series.
According to Customs and Trade Minister Hayati Yazıcı, the peaked interest in Turkish television shows abroad has resulted in turning all eyes on this fast growing sector in Turkey. According to Minister Yazıcı, while statistics show that throughout the globe audio-visual exports saw a 4.54 percent growth on average, in Turkey this year the same figure came to 25.98 percent. Turkish shows are taking the monopoly of prime time spots in a wide variety of locations throughout the Balkans, the Middle East and Central Asia.
Turkey's entertainment sector has been exporting for five years now. Up until just two years ago, Turkey's entrance in the market was based on a low-price policy, however now some of the nation's most popular productions are selling for higher than popular U.S. shows such as Mad Men.
İzzet Pinto, CEO of Global Agency is one of the most prominent businessmen selling Turkish television shows all over the world. According to Pinto, Turkey's popular sprung to life with television shows such as Bir İstanbul Masalı (An Istanbul Tale), 1001 Gece (1,001 Nights) and Gümüş (Silver). "Today, 100 television stations are being exported to 60 countries. This sector results in bringing in 100 million dollars in foreign currency," states Pinto.
While Turkish shows are already topping the popularity charts in Middle Eastern and Balkan nations, Turkey now intends to dominate the Western European market. İzzet Pinto explains that they are currently launching in France and if they see success they will go ahead and enter nations such as Italy and Spain.
Western interest in Turkish show
The wind of Turkish shows, which undoubtedly blows strongest in the Gulf nations, has now made its way to the Western European segment, which symbolizes strong economy and high social life standards. For the first time ever, a Turkish television show will soon be released on a Swedish state-run television station.
Considered to be Sweden's version of Turkey's TRT, Sveriges Television (STV) will soon be broadcasting the popular television series "Son" (The End) which runs on Atv and stars Yiğit Özşener, Nehir Erdoğan and Berrak Tüzünataç.
This is a translation of an article originally written by Yasemin Salih.