Türkiye highlights global reach of Turkish TV series exports

Türkiye's Communications Directorate on Friday opened a major Istanbul conference on the global expansion of Turkish television drama, as officials revealed that annual exports have surged past $1 billion while reaching audiences in more than 170 countries.

Global storytelling and cultural impact

Türkiye's Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran told the audience that Turkish productions now reach more than one billion viewers worldwide, placing the country among the world's top three drama exporters alongside the United States and the United Kingdom. "When a Turkish series reaches a family in Damascus, a living room in Rabat, a home in Belgrade or a viewer in Santiago or Johannesburg, Türkiye ceases to be a distant country seen only on a map," he said, noting that exports have grown from approximately $10 million in the early 2000s to over $1 billion today. "Just as humanity's fate cannot be left to the decisions of a few centers, humanity's story cannot be left to the cameras of a few centers," he added, arguing that the international rise of Turkish series reflects Ankara's capacity to produce its own narratives rather than any project of cultural hegemony.

Tourism ties and state support

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said Turkish series have become a strategic asset extending far beyond their economic value, driving global interest in the country's language, gastronomy and travel destinations. "Turkish series are not only watched; they make people curious about Türkiye," Ersoy stated, adding that viewers actively research filming locations and seek to experience the destinations depicted on screen.

Ersoy announced a significant shift in state support policies, removing the previous requirement that productions must have aired for one full season and introducing episode-by-episode assessment while allowing multiple projects from the same company to receive backing. Productions aired in at least ten countries across three continents will now be evaluated based on export performance, ratings and digital viewing figures, as well as their contribution to Turkish-language visibility and priority tourism markets. Eight promotional productions launched since June 2025 have already generated 30 billion impressions and 5.5 billion views, according to ministry figures.