$100,000 State Support per TV Episode in Türkiye

Türkiye has announced a major new support package for its television drama industry, with Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stating that eligible series will receive up to $100,000 per episode in financial incentives.

Speaking at a press event held at the Atatürk Cultural Center in Istanbul, Ersoy outlined the details of the initiative, which aims to further strengthen the global reach of Turkish TV series while also enhancing the country’s cultural and tourism promotion efforts.

Boosting Turkish TV Exports and Global Audience

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy

Ersoy highlighted the sector’s remarkable success, noting that Turkish TV dramas — known locally as dizi — reach nearly 1 billion viewers across some 170 countries. He said this global success has led Türkiye to become one of the top three television drama exporters in the world in terms of sales volume and export power.

How the New Support Model Works

Under the new model, series that contribute to Türkiye’s international promotion and meet defined criteria will be eligible for support. The Ministry, together with the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), will provide financial backing of up to $100,000 (or its equivalent in Turkish lira) for each qualifying episode.

Ersoy explained that while Turkish TV episodes typically run approximately 120 minutes domestically, they are usually edited into 40–45 minute segments for international markets. The support calculations will be based on the original domestic broadcast length, meaning each internationally aired segment could correspond to a maximum of around $33,000 in support.

Streamlined Production and Location Support

In addition to the financial incentive, the Ministry plans to facilitate the production process by speeding up bureaucratic procedures for filming locations and offering free allocation of certain government-owned sites to eligible productions.

Driving Cultural Influence and Tourism Through TV Dramas

Ersoy emphasized that the government sees Turkish series as a strategic tool for boosting cultural influence abroad and driving tourism interest, noting that international audiences often engage with Turkish culture — including the language and destinations — through the stories told in these dramas.