Turkish TV series industry struggles with economic crisis
The Turkish TV series industry is shrinking due to rising production costs and declining advertising revenues. Producers highlight the importance of good scripts and the necessity of state support for the future of the sector.
The TV series industry in Turkey is going through a serious economic bottleneck due to rising costs and the shift of advertising investments to digital platforms. While 8 out of 36 series aired in the 2025-2026 season ended early, industry representatives emphasize that the solution lies in producing high-quality content.
Economic difficulties in the sector are also manifesting in the decline in the number of series. The number of series, which was 57 three seasons ago, fell to 44 last season and to 36 in the 2025-2026 season. The cost of a single episode of a series, which was at the level of 20-25 million liras last year, has risen to 30 million liras this year.
Faruk Turgut, producer of 'Kızılcık Şerbeti', explains the crisis through a lack of funds, the withdrawal of advertisers, and content repetition. Stating that six of the 17 main advertising sectors that feed television are now out of the picture, Turgut expresses that salvation lies in good scripts. Mehmet Canpolat, producer of 'Sevdan Bir Ateş', states that support efforts by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism are of critical importance for resolving the problems between advertisers and broadcasters.
Sources
- yenisafak.com · Link