Turkish TV Series Meet the World at MIPCOM
A Turkish stand, created with support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and in cooperation with the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is presented at the international MIPCOM trade fair. Turkish TV series are watched by nearly 1 billion people in around 170 countries.
Gurban Gurbanzadeh5 min read
On October 13, 2026, at the international MIPCOM trade fair, one of the key events of the global television and content market, Turkey's stand was presented. It was created with support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and in cooperation with the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and Industry (İTO).
MIPCOM brings together producers, broadcasters, distributors and digital platforms from around the world. At Turkey's stand, Turkish companies meet with international industry representatives: the venue serves to promote Turkish projects, establish new business ties and develop export opportunities.
The event was attended by Teyfun Topal, Chief Adviser to the Minister of Culture and Tourism; Birol Güven, General Director of the Directorate of Cinema of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism; Ali Türkaslan, General Director of ATV; and Murat Yancı, head of the Demirören Medya television group.
Topal: Turkey Is Among the Top Three Countries for TV Series Exports
Teyfun Topal, Chief Adviser to the Minister of Culture and Tourism, said that the global audience for Turkish TV series is of great importance for promoting Turkey.
“Turkey today ranks among the world's top three countries for TV series exports. In around 170 countries, nearly 1 billion people follow our projects. People who speak the most diverse languages and belong to different cultures find something of their own in our stories. Our actors are known throughout the world, our projects are watched with great interest. A great credit for this success goes to our producers, screenwriters, directors, actors and all the staff behind the scenes. As the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, we attach great importance to this strength of our industry and continue working to take it further,” he said.
According to Topal, Turkish TV series increase interest in the Turkish language and in Turkey.
“In different corners of the world, people learn Turkish words from our series, use Turkish expressions in everyday life and take courses to learn our language. The fact that a person living thousands of kilometers away, under the influence of a series, starts learning Turkish shows how strong his connection to our country is. Thanks to our series, our cuisine, music, family relations, traditions and cities become known in different regions of the world. A story told on screen turns into a desire to get to know Turkey more closely,” he continued.
Topal noted that this interest is also reflected in tourism: viewers want to walk down the street where a favorite actor walked, visit a historical site they saw, and try a dish from the screen. According to him, Istanbul, Antalya and other destinations are opening up through the stories watched, and series are becoming a promotional tool that turns interest in Turkey into a desire to travel.
GoTürkiye Short Promotional Series and Billions of Views
Topal also spoke about short promotional series produced by the ministry.
“We put the promotion of projects watched all over the world and the international recognition of our artists at the center of our strategy. With the short promotional series produced under the GoTürkiye brand, we have achieved very successful results, reaching billions of views. We weave Turkey's historical, cultural and natural beauties into the stories that viewers follow with interest. The more strongly a viewer becomes attached to a story, the more interested they are in the place where it takes place. In this way, we introduce our destinations to a wider audience and make the various riches of our country visible on the international stage,” he said.
Topal added that work to strengthen the industry's presence in international markets continues. He thanked Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism, for the support that opens the way for the industry, and stated that Turkey will continue, together with all industry participants, to carry its stories around the world.
Güven: TV Series Turned from a Snowball into an Avalanche
Birol Güven, General Director of the Directorate of Cinema of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, assessed the international journey of Turkish TV series as follows:
“Turkish TV series were a snowball, they turned into an avalanche and reached every corner of the world. Today, Turkish projects meet with hundreds of millions of viewers around the world. As the Directorate of Cinema, we attach importance to the presence of our industry at such major global content markets as MIPCOM, we support it and are always by its side so that it takes a stronger position in international markets.”
Turkish projects that have taken a notable place in world television thanks to strong stories, successful acting and high production quality gain the opportunity to enter new markets at MIPCOM. Negotiations at Turkey's stand strengthen the industry's international positions and help establish new partnerships and expand export opportunities.
Source: cnnturk.com
