Turkey television series were exported in 2023 to 170 countries and generated revenue of 600 million US dollars. But they are not only an export hit, but also a reflection of development within Turkey itself, he reports Deutsche says.
About 130 women, men and children stand in front of the wide marble steps of the Secession-style Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul, watching the almost XNUMX-year-old cage-shaped electric elevator that is about to bring guests down.
The hotel porter asks the group if they are waiting for a tour and learns that there are visitors from Spain among them.
"Of course, since the series aired, visitors have come from all over the world," he says. Many come to see this lavish filming location and to immerse themselves in history at least for a moment.
The series he is talking about is called "Midnight at Pera Palace" and is based on the book of the same name by the American author Charles King. As of March 2022, the series is available worldwide on the platform Netflix.
The story begins with journalist Esra, who wants to write an article about a hotel opened in 1895, where internationally famous people such as Agatha Christie, Alfred Hitchcock, Greta Garbo and Ernest Hemingway have stayed.
From the hotel manager Ahmet, the heroine Esra learns a secret: with an old room key to this luxurious building, it is possible to travel through time.
Esra travels to 1919 and becomes a witness to an international conspiracy: a British commander is planning an assassination of the founder of the state, Kemal Ataturk, which must be prevented at all costs. Thus begins a historical adventure in the old European part of Istanbul.
Export to more than 170 countries
Turkish series have been a great international success since the mid-2000s. According to the Association of Turkish Exporters of Services, they are sold to 170 countries annually.
According to some estimates, in 2023, these productions generated an income of around 600 million dollars. It is expected to cross the $2024 billion mark in XNUMX.
According to Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat, Turkish series are watched by 800 million viewers around the world at the same time.
The road to success began with dramas like "Silver", "1001 Nights", "Ezel", "Suleiman the Magnificent" and "Black Love". The first buyers were Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, followed soon by Arab countries, Latin America, the Balkan states, Russia and Europe.
Analytics firm Parrot Analytics follows the global development of the entertainment industry. According to their data, the demand for Turkish series increased by 184 percent between 2000 and 2023.
Love dramas and social criticism
According to the Turkish Media Supervisory Council RTUK, an average of four hours of television is watched every day in Turkey, with the majority of prime-time series. More than 70 percent of all households subscribe to streaming services.
The offer is great, from love stories and comedies to historical and social dramas. However, the more open and critical the series, the more often they come under attack from the Turkish judiciary. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan does not hide that he does not appreciate these series.
Political scientist Haki Tass from Hamburg's Leibniz Institute for Global and Regional Studies (GIGA) says that Erdogan even called these productions a threat to national security and accused them of Islamophobia. After that, fines were reintroduced.
A year ago, DW reported on the broadcast ban and fine for the series "Red Buds," which explores the deep divisions between secular and religious groups.
After a successful launch in late 2023, organizations close to the government vehemently protested against the series, claiming that "Red Buds" offended religious sentiments. The broadcaster was punished with a two-week broadcast ban and a fine of 275.000 euros.
Lately, the Turkish authorities have been paying attention to art agencies as well. About twenty of them have been investigated for alleged agreements and violations of the law on cartels.
More than business
The Turkish government has a dual attitude towards the series – it also uses them as a platform for propaganda, through which it wants to influence the public and propagate its ideological views.
While private productions are increasingly under pressure, the state invests massively in its series. State television TRT commissions numerous series every year that depict the history and "values of the Turkish nation" from an Islamist-conservative perspective.
One example is "The Resurrection of Ertugrul", a series depicting the life of the ancient Turkish tribal leader Ertugrul in the 13th century.
In addition, state productions are also used to slander critics or portray them in a negative light. A prominent example is TRT's production "Metamorphosis".
In it, entrepreneur and human rights activist Osman Kavala, who has been in prison for eight years, is portrayed as an enemy of the state.
What does the government intend to do?
Political scientist Tas believes that the Turkish government is trying to impose a lifestyle on society according to the vision of President Erdoğan's party. Series that deviate from this norm face measures, fines and pressure to silence them.
In recent years, series have become a kind of valve for social criticism. The messages are hidden in the characters and the plot. Since the success of the opposition in the local elections a year ago, this trend has become more and more pronounced, concludes Tas.
