Turkey invests in soft-power soap operas

• Official support for ‘screen tourism’
• Government funds TV productions
• Filming must be in tourist spots

Soulful, lingering gazes, a meeting of east and west, love lost and found, sweeping vistas, a touch of mysticism and great food.

These are the essential ingredients for a Turkish television drama. And it appears that the government is following the script as it seeks to extend the reach of its soft power through the small screen.

Hoping to ride the growing success of locally filmed series, Ankara has announced plans to provide funding to TV productions that can extend the country’s economic and cultural reach, with a rising tide of Turkish soap operas to wash over international markets.

Culture and tourism minister Nuri Ersoy provided details this week of a scheme for providing up to $100,000 in Turkish lira per 120-minute block of approved drama content, or up to $33,000 for a 45-minute episode. 

To be eligible a production must be broadcast in at least 10 countries on three continents; have aired at least 26 episodes in the domestic market; have garnered high ratings in Turkey; and not have been subject to any sanctions from the state broadcasting regulator. 

Significantly, Ersoy said productions must reflect Turkey’s historical, cultural, natural and gastronomic values to an international audience, and filming must take place in tourism-friendly destinations.

When initially announcing the scheme last week, Ersoy said: “We are making our TV series the locomotive of our new-generation promotional vision.”

“The data we have and global examples show that the concept of ‘screen tourism’ is more than a temporary trend; it has transformed into a massive strategic area used by countries as a soft-power element.”

That soft-power push is already paying dividends, with trade ministry estimates putting viewer numbers at up to 800 million daily across 177 countries, while bringing in revenue of between $1 billion and $1.2 billion a year. 

Faruk Turgut, director, scriptwriter and founder of the İstanbul-based production house Gold Film, says the reason for the success of Turkish series is that they give their target audience what they want.

“Turkish series have a level of emotion, they are produced at high quality, and the performances of the actresses and actors are good,” he told AGBI. “That is why I believe Turkish series are being favoured worldwide.”

Steeped in history and culture

Another factor that builds audience appeal is exotic locations, with the backdrop for many Turkish dramas being in regions steeped in history and culture, the very things the tourism minister wants to see promoted.

Two districts experiencing a spike in visitor numbers are the Midyat region of the southeastern province of Mardin, setting for the popular drama Uzak Sehir (Far Away); and Cappadocia in central Anatolia, locale for the series Siyah Kalp (Valley of Hearts). 

• Turkey seeks to restrict young people’s social media access
• More visitors and higher prices push up Turkish tourism revenue
• Turkish tourism body seeks to block foreign platforms

According to Aslan Tan, executive board member of the Tourism and Travel Agencies Foundation and Tourism Strategies Association and a native of Mardin, Turkey’s television exports have had a massive impact on the tourism industry. 

“Today one has to book well ahead to find any accommodation in Mardin. Everything is booked out due to the current series,” he said. 

Alongside the tourism numbers come the benefits for side economies, Tan said.

“From gastronomy, accommodation, local produce all the way to agriculture, per capita income across the spectrum increases.”

Turkish dramas seen abroad are first broadcast at home, their success or failure in the local market a screen test for international programme buyers.

Academic studies also show that while not provided with state support, some series put a positive spin on Turkish culture and history, creating nostalgia for an imperial past and highlighting the strength of the nation, a message that is now being broadcast globally.