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The global success story of Turkish TV dramas is entering a new and uncertain phase, as soaring production costs begin to shake an industry that once thrived on delivering high-quality content at relatively low prices.
According to Patronlar Dunyasi, a Turkish media outlet, sector data now indicate that the cost of producing a single episode has crossed the $500,000 threshold, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of Türkiye’s nearly $1 billion annual drama export market.
Turkish dramas, often described as one of Türkiye’s most effective soft-power tools, have built a worldwide audience of around 1 billion viewers, stretching from Latin America to the Middle East. For years, their competitive advantage lay in producing Hollywood-level visuals at significantly lower budgets than their European or American counterparts, which helped them stand out in international markets.
However, recent reporting by the Financial Times highlighted that hourly production costs had already exceeded $240,000, warning that rising inflation in Türkiye could threaten the sector’s export strength. New industry figures now show that the situation has moved even further, with long episode formats, often running close to 140 minutes, pushing total per-episode expenses beyond half a million dollars.
Industry sources point to three main factors pushing production budgets upward, each contributing to a structural shift in how Turkish dramas are financed and produced.
First, costs linked to foreign currencies have risen sharply, as equipment rentals and many production services are priced in dollars or euros, meaning that inflation in Türkiye has been compounded by exchange-rate pressures.
Second, actor fees have climbed to unprecedented levels, driven by the international popularity of Turkish stars who now command significantly higher per-episode payments.
Third, operational expenses across the entire production chain, including labor, transportation, catering, and costumes, have increased steeply, adding to the overall financial burden.
These rising costs are already reshaping international demand. Spain, long considered one of the most reliable buyers of Turkish dramas, is increasingly turning toward domestic productions or content from Latin America, where similar-quality shows can be produced at lower costs.
Sector representatives warn that if Turkish productions become more expensive than Spanish or Mexican alternatives, international broadcasters may gradually stop choosing them, potentially weakening Türkiye’s position in global television markets.
With annual export revenues approaching $1 billion, the Turkish drama industry now faces mounting uncertainty.
Producers are reportedly becoming more risk-averse, shifting toward safer, lower-budget projects rather than investing in high-cost productions.
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