Turkish TV series reach 1 billion viewers globally

At the ‘Global Narrative of the Turkish Brand: Turkish TV Series’ program in Istanbul, Turkish officials highlighted the massive global reach and strategic importance of the country’s television industry. Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that Turkish series have reached approximately 1 billion viewers across nearly 170 countries, positioning Turkey as one of the world’s top three exporters of television content.

Ersoy emphasized that these productions serve as a powerful tool for cultural diplomacy and ‘screen tourism,’ driving interest in Turkish language, cuisine, and historical sites like Cappadocia and the Bosphorus. The industry’s export value has grown from roughly $10 million in the early 2000s to over $1 billion today.

Burhanettin Duran, Head of the Directorate of Communications, noted the importance of narrative power in the modern ‘attention economy.’ He also addressed the need to counter historical Hollywood stereotypes that often depicted the Middle East and Turkey through a ‘yellow filter’ of chaos and insecurity. To further bolster the sector, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has introduced a new support model that removes previous seasonal broadcasting requirements and allows for support based on individual episodes and digital viewership.