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Tag: Turkey

  • Creators boost Mipcom 2025 as television’s old guard opens the door

    Creators boost Mipcom 2025 as television’s old guard opens the door

    CANNES: The suits and the streamers are finally doing business. Mipcom 2024 pulled in 10,600 delegates—a modest uptick from last year’s 10,500—but the real story wasn’t in the numbers. It was in who showed up and what they were selling.

    Buyers rose to 3,340, up 100 from 2023, with Britain leading the pack, followed by the US , France, Germany, Turkey, Canada, Spain, Italy, Japan and South Korea. Yet the buzz on the Cannes market floor centred on a new breed of attendee: the creator economy, which Lucy Smith, RX France’s Mipcom and Mip London boss, called “the biggest shift in a generation for Mipcom.”

    YouTube planted its flag with a prominent presence, including a packed keynote featuring Pedro Pina, the platform’s EMEA chief, media cartographer Evan Shapiro and BBC Studios’ Jasmine Dawson. The session offered what Smith described as the “definitive playbook on partnerships,” demonstrating how traditional media can tap new audiences and build fandoms through collaboration.

    The convergence went beyond talk. Deals between legacy players and digital creators flowed throughout the week. “It feels like a tipping point for the industry,” Smith told reporters at a wrap press conference. “The relationship between the creator and mainstream economies isn’t binary. The opportunities come from collaboration, not from working in isolation.”

    Mipcom’s pitch to creators was simple: meet everyone worth meeting in one place, at one time, and figure out who can help build new business models. The market staged its first brand-funded content summit, BrandStorytelling, bringing agencies and brands face-to-face with the global production and distribution world. Early feedback suggests it’s here to stay.

    Traditional sales and distribution—”the engine of MIPCOM,” as Smith put it—roared back to life. Every major American studio turned up. Three big international advance screenings drew talent from around the world. Rights deals showed fresh flexibility, with windowing making a comeback, albeit in more complex forms than before.

    The market floor hosted 350 exhibitors, including 88 newcomers such as YouTube. Yet not everything pointed upward: MIPJunior attendance slipped to 940 from 1,000, reflecting ongoing headwinds in children’s programming.

    Smith struck a bullish note. “From change comes opportunity. The industry is resilient, it regenerates. The fact that this definitive global market has been held here every year for the past four decades is testament to that.”

    Next year’s edition runs from 12 to 15  October. The creators will be back. So will everyone else.

  • Ad it up, Moloco and Xiaomi dial up global reach with ML-powered alliance

    Ad it up, Moloco and Xiaomi dial up global reach with ML-powered alliance

    MUMBAI: What happens when one of the world’s biggest smartphone giants teams up with a machine learning marvel? A global ad tech power play. Moloco, the operational machine learning company, has struck a global strategic partnership with Xiaomi’s International Internet Business Department, unlocking a fresh frontier in mobile advertising across more than 100 countries and regions. With Xiaomi boasting a staggering 702 million monthly active users, the alliance is set to supercharge advertising efficiency, targeting accuracy and developer growth worldwide.

    As part of the deal, Moloco will bring its ML chops to optimise ad placements across Getapps (Xiaomi’s overseas app store), in-app inventory and lock screen ads. In return, Moloco’s advertisers get front-row access to Xiaomi’s high-value user base served through a tech ecosystem spanning mobile, smart homes, and even electric vehicles like the new Xiaomi SU7.

    Having tested the waters in a pilot partnership in 2023, the results spoke for themselves. Daily ad spends soared, native and interstitial ad formats drove stronger conversions, and Xiaomi’s presence across Brazil, India, Turkey and Germany emerged as a serious magnet for advertisers chasing scale and precision.

    Moloco, co-founder and CEO Ikkjin Ahn called the partnership a response to the rising need for “efficient monetisation and the ability to reach the right users.” He added, “Xiaomi’s global ecosystem is a perfect match for our machine learning platform. Together, we’ll unlock serious ROI for advertisers and push the boundaries of programmatic efficiency.”

    Xiaomi International Internet Business general manager Qiang Song echoed the sentiment, noting that Moloco has already “helped enhance the competitiveness of our ad platform.” With more AI-powered tools on the horizon, both companies are eyeing innovative monetisation models that could reshape how brands connect with mobile-first consumers.

    Whether you’re an app developer chasing downloads or a marketer craving smarter reach, this partnership may just be the algorithmic edge you’ve been waiting for.
     

  • Cake adds some icing with Anna Pokorska as sales manager

    Cake adds some icing with Anna Pokorska as sales manager

    MUMBAI: Cake, the London-based kids’ content powerhouse, has appointed Anna Pokorska as sales manager, handing her the reins to key territories across Europe and beyond. Pokorska will be baking up international sales across Italy, Benelux, Central and Eastern Europe, Greece, Turkey and Israel for Cake’s hit slate—including Angry Birds, Total Drama Island, Lucas the Spider, Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super and Armorsaurs.

    Reporting to Cake managing director of distribution Dominic Gardiner, Pokorska joins with a deep track record in animation, kids’ content and feature film distribution. She’s worn several high-level hats—SVP of sales at GFM Animation, global distribution lead at Wizart Animation, regional boss at Interfilm for Warner Bros., and casting lead at HBO CIS. Lately, she’s been consulting for MK2 Films and producing both animated and documentary projects.

    “We’re excited to have Anna join the team at Cake . Her experience in animation and strong industry relationships make her a great fit as we continue to grow our global reach,” said Gardiner.

    Pokorska said, “I’m thrilled to be joining the company I’ve admired for as long as I can remember—a true pioneer in kids’ entertainment. It’s an honour to contribute to Cake’s continued growth and help its fantastic shows reach new audiences around the world.”

    As Cake dishes up hits to kids across continents, Pokorska’s appointment adds more firepower to its global growth recipe.

  • Turkey and Pakistan strengthen media and communication ties

    Turkey and Pakistan strengthen media and communication ties

    MUMBAI:  Turkey and Pakistan have reinforced their strategic partnership with the signing of two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at enhancing cooperation in media, communication, and public relations. The agreements were signed in Islamabad during the visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his delegation for the seventh Turkey-Pakistan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting last week.

    Turkish presidency  head of communications Fahrettin Altun and Pakistan minister of information and broadcasting Attaullah Tarar formalised the agreements to deepen collaboration between the two nations in the fields of media, public diplomacy, and broadcasting.

    The “memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of media and communication” seeks to advance bilateral efforts in media and communication, fostering the exchange of expertise and best practices. 

    The second agreement, the “Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Public Relations and Communication,” aims to enhance strategic communication and public relations between Turkey and Pakistan.

    Under the terms of these agreements, both countries will promote cooperation based on reciprocity and mutual benefit while adhering to their respective national laws and regulations. 

    The MoUs outline provisions for information exchange, joint initiatives, and collaboration on projects of shared interest. They also include training programmes, workshops, and leveraging technology to streamline citizen engagement.

    Effective immediately, the agreements will remain in force for three years, marking a new chapter in Turkey-Pakistan cooperation in the media and communication sectors.

  • Merzigo has reached the leading position in Turkey with a 40% market share, says Yigit Dogan Celik

    Merzigo has reached the leading position in Turkey with a 40% market share, says Yigit Dogan Celik

    Mumbai: Merzigo, a leading Turkey-based technology company that offers video monetisation and channel management solutions for producers, broadcasters, and distributors in the global advertising-based video on demand (AVoD) market, has been a key player in presenting riveting content across the globe. The man behind the success story of the firm is Merzigo’s chairman and founder Yigit Dogan Celik.

    Born in 1988 and a graduate of MEF International School (in Istanbul, in the year 2007), Celik studied law at the University of East Anglia and business administration at Regent’s University (in the UK, in the year 2012). He kicked off his career in 2014 as a country representative at Havelsan, a prominent software and development company.

    In 2015, he went on to establish his own business and serve as the co-founder and head of sales at Merzigo. He became the chairman of the board of directors in 2019 at the content syndication company.

    Celik also continues to draw attention in Turkey and Europe with Key Networks Group’s continued investments in the OTT industry, production, and distribution. PowerHouse, an incubation centre under Key Networks Group, regularly invests in different technology and AI projects.

    He took important and strategic steps that contributed to the level of success that Merzigo has achieved today. His decisions led the organisation towards leadership in the digital marketing sector, both domestically and globally.

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com, Celik discusses Turkey’s content market, Merzigo’s presence at Mipcom 2022, his interest in Indian content, and much more.

    Excerpts:

    On the objective behind such a big presence of Merzigo at Mipcom 2022

    Merzigo is a video monetisation and digital solution company for content rights owners, production houses, and broadcasters across the globe. We are already doing business with clients in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Asia through our offices in Istanbul, Mumbai, and London.

    At Mipcom 2022, our main goal is to focus on initiating new partnerships with potential clients and strengthening our position in the markets we are already active in. Our aim is to reach out to the ever-increasing base of partners and showcase our strong content offering. We expect to increase our already strong footprint globally and create stronger and more meaningful partnerships with our existing clients and newer prospects. We aim to further expand our global clientele so that Merzigo can become the leader in the AVoD market.

    On achieving the success you have at 34, about your journey pre-Merzigo and after setting it up

    Merzigo was founded in 2015 as a response to the market’s video monetisation needs. Our technological approach, expertise, and our own solutions helped us rapidly increase our market share and provide our domestic and international clientele with the best services available. As per our strategies, we have reached the leading position in Turkey’s market with a 40 per cent market share.

    Also, in line with our global vision, we continue to increase our market share to strengthen our position. As of 2022, Merzigo continues its activities under the newly restructured Key Networks Group, reaching a total of 400 employees. Merzigo’s leadership and knowledge in the digital sector’s monetisation and knowledge are elevated to a new level by these global strategies.

    On the Turkish adex market – whether it’s small or large, how advertising has evolved over time, especially in terms of digital video and AVoD, and how it is growing today

    Merzigo has a global presence. You can say that we are present wherever YouTube is present. We have been in the AVoD business since our establishment, and we have witnessed the market’s growth towards a more positive stance towards the AVoD model. We believe this shift will only accelerate due to the global landscape and the growing importance of accessibility. As you know, even major subscription video on demand (SVoD) platforms are considering AVoD plans that include advertisements. Hence, we believe we are on the right track. 

    On witnessing a tapering off of CPMs post opening up after the lockdowns

    Cost per mile (CPM) is a good indicator of how valuable advertisers find your videos and audience for achieving their own business goals. Your revenue will not be equal to your CPM times your views because CPM reflects what advertisers pay, not what you earn. Advertisers can control which geographies they’d like to reach with their ads. Different locations will have different levels of competition in the ad market, so CPMs will vary by geography.

    If there’s a shift in where most of your views are coming from, you may see a shift in the CPM. For instance, if you previously had views from a geography with higher CPMs but are now getting more views from geographies with lower CPMs, you may see a decrease in your CPM.

    On partners’ asset monetisation that you are managing on Turkish digital video platforms, which ones have managed to generate maximum revenue and why, and why have the others failed

    Survivor Turkey, The Voice Turkey, Turkey Got Talent, Fox TV in Turkey, and globally published Turkish series such as El Sultan (Magnificent Century), El Poder del Amor, and various international series channels launched in India, and from Spain, we signed a deal to monetize RTVE series are among our top channels.

    We also took over the management of some of Turkey’s leading free TV channels, multiplying their revenues per year by 10-fold during our first year. We are providing content in the following languages: Turkish, Spanish, Arabic, Romanian, Portuguese, English, French, Serbian, Italian, Urdu, Hindi, German, and Polish. Our content offerings are a perfect blend of emotion, drama, and variety, which are synonymous with almost all cultures in the world.

    On explaining your interest in international content – especially Indian

    Gripping stories, powerful characters, and edge-of-the-seat entertainment will ensure the viewers’ loyalty and stickiness. We aim to push the boundaries of entertainment by presenting new concepts and engaging content across genres to our audience. We pick up topics that are relatable to almost all cultures in the world and present gripping stories that are a perfect blend of emotion, drama, and variety. We bank on stories, which at their very core are stories about humans – their emotions, challenges, love, relationships, victories, defeats, and courage.

    Our strategy is to strike a good balance of content that works well with our audience and experiment with new and disruptive ideas constantly. And India being one of the world’s oldest and most diverse cultures, its series are a perfect blend of emotion, drama, and variety, which are synonymous with almost all cultures in the world. We believe there is tremendous headroom for growth for international content – and particularly India content – and hence we look at this as one of the key priorities for our content distribution.

    On your app being currently gestated: how will it be different from others, and what is the competition like

    ‘Baslat’ (meaning “start”) is our own OTT AVoD platform, which will be launching in Turkey in January 2023 on all platforms such as the web, phones, and smart TVs. Baslat will have an entirely different vision and intend to stand out in the AVoD market, offering an innovative and unique viewing experience for audiences in Turkey, as the viewers will be able to access premium content & original production for free. SVoD platforms in Turkey are increasing with new players entering the market, increasing the production budget and cost.

    Today, there are more places than ever to consume content. There’s a huge demand for variety in content, and audiences are more interested in the type of content and stories they can relate to. With the rise of OTT players, our focus is on how we can meet the needs of our viewers and focus on delivering different concepts and good stories to cater to the needs of both live and on-demand videos across different devices.

    On the target audience, and how will you monetise it

    We have always adapted to market demands and expectations, maintaining the standards that we have established over time and delivering high-quality content to audiences.

    The series dubbed in Turkish is a perfect blend of emotion, romance, family, and socially relevant issues that will immediately resonate with mainstream audiences. We will ensure content for all age groups.

    The most important issues are viewers’ habits when it comes to video consumption as well as piracy. We will be encouraging people to watch the content they wish to watch on a legal yet free platform. Our revenue model for Baslat will be through advertising sales.

  • ‘IndiGo Abroad’ with the airline’s new brand campaign

    ‘IndiGo Abroad’ with the airline’s new brand campaign

    National: India’s leading airline, IndiGo, launched its new integrated brand campaign ‘IndiGo Abroad: Happy to be your first’ today, to stimulate travellers to explore newer destinations for short and medium -haul international travel at affordable fares. The campaign aims to introduce Indian travellers to new and unexplored 6E destinations to encourage first time international travellers and experiential travellers to look beyond the regular international destinations, for their next trip abroad with IndiGo. The airline launched flights to Turkey, China, Vietnam, Myanmar and Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

    As part of this campaign, IndiGo has used quirky creatives that tug our emotions when we travel, with the backdrop of the most scenic locations in its international network. The passengers in the creatives showcase the innumerable experiences and emotions during their first international trip and how IndiGo has been their partner, by making international travel accessible and affordable. Some of the creatives like ‘My first time was very educational’, ‘My first time? Three weeks long’, ‘Our first time? This summer’, connect to real life people, bringing relatability to the campaign. The campaign will run across OOH, print and IndiGo’s social media platforms from November 03- November 17, 2019.

    On the launch of the campaign, Mr. William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo said, “We are excited to launch our new brand campaign ‘IndiGo Abroad’ after the last one celebrating our 13th anniversary. This campaign is aimed at targeting domestic travellers looking at their first international trip and experiential travellers who want to explore new international destinations. Having started operations to five new countries this year, we thought this would be an apt opportunity for us to strengthen interest in foreign travel through ‘IndiGo Abroad’ campaign and we would be happy to be our travellers’ first flight to their international holiday.”

    Mr. Boulter further added, “In addition to being affordable, on-time and hassle-free, IndiGo has played a significant role in making international air travel accessible and affordable for many Indians.”

    IndiGo is introducing special promotional offer on its international destinations with return fares starting from INR 8,490. Customers booking their tickets through IndiGo website and mobile application can avail additional cashback and EMI options when paying through Yes Bank and Bank of Baroda, while offers with IndusInd Bank can be availed only on website from November 03- November 04, 2019. Discounts on seats are subjected to availability and the offer is valid for bookings made during the offer period, at least 15 days prior to the date of departure.

  • Turkey’s state broadcaster TRT to sign an MOU with Doordarshan for content collaboration

    Turkey’s state broadcaster TRT to sign an MOU with Doordarshan for content collaboration

    MUMBAI: For the  first time, a large  official delegation of Turkish companies led by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Tourism attended FICCI Frames 2016 in Mumbai which started on 30 March and will conclude on April 1 to promote collaboration in the cinema and television sector between India and Turkey. To mark the event, Turkey’s state broadcaster TRT had a meeting with Doordarshan and both state owned companies are set to sign an MOU for future content collaboration.

    The ambassador of Turkey to India,  Burak Akçapar announced, “TheTurkish delegation is very encouraged with the initial response at the 3-day conclave and Turkey is predicting content exports of USD 20 million to India by 2018.”

    The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce brought together Turkey’s leading content industry representatives to meet the Indian media and entertainment industry at the “Turkey Home of Content” booth at FICCI FRAMES 2016 with the valuable support of the Turkish Republic’s Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Culture and Tourism and with the precious collaboration of the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi and Turkish Consul General in Mumbai.Founded in 1882, The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce today is the third largest Chamber in the world.
     
    With a high powered delegation, and wholehearted support from the Government, Turkey is actively seeking collaborations with Indian media and entertainment companies in the areas of filmed and television content.The leading Turkish companies participating in the delegation were Ayyapim, Kadraj, Kanal 7, Outline Ajans, Pana Film, Tac Medya, TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation), ULKE TV.

    In an effort to further strengthen its ties with the city of Mumbai and Bollywood, Turkish delegations had a meeting with the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI). Turkey is in talk with the organisers of MAMI film festival to showcase Turkish cinema at the festival in October this year.

    Turkey’s first television export to India, Feriha on Zee – Zindagi has been well received by the Indian audiences and an average of 36 million viewers in India each week. Encouraged by its success, many Indian networks including the leading GEC’s are in talks with Turkish content providers to roll out more Turkish serials on Indian television says an official release.

  • Turkey’s state broadcaster TRT to sign an MOU with Doordarshan for content collaboration

    Turkey’s state broadcaster TRT to sign an MOU with Doordarshan for content collaboration

    MUMBAI: For the  first time, a large  official delegation of Turkish companies led by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Tourism attended FICCI Frames 2016 in Mumbai which started on 30 March and will conclude on April 1 to promote collaboration in the cinema and television sector between India and Turkey. To mark the event, Turkey’s state broadcaster TRT had a meeting with Doordarshan and both state owned companies are set to sign an MOU for future content collaboration.

    The ambassador of Turkey to India,  Burak Akçapar announced, “TheTurkish delegation is very encouraged with the initial response at the 3-day conclave and Turkey is predicting content exports of USD 20 million to India by 2018.”

    The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce brought together Turkey’s leading content industry representatives to meet the Indian media and entertainment industry at the “Turkey Home of Content” booth at FICCI FRAMES 2016 with the valuable support of the Turkish Republic’s Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Culture and Tourism and with the precious collaboration of the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi and Turkish Consul General in Mumbai.Founded in 1882, The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce today is the third largest Chamber in the world.
     
    With a high powered delegation, and wholehearted support from the Government, Turkey is actively seeking collaborations with Indian media and entertainment companies in the areas of filmed and television content.The leading Turkish companies participating in the delegation were Ayyapim, Kadraj, Kanal 7, Outline Ajans, Pana Film, Tac Medya, TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation), ULKE TV.

    In an effort to further strengthen its ties with the city of Mumbai and Bollywood, Turkish delegations had a meeting with the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI). Turkey is in talk with the organisers of MAMI film festival to showcase Turkish cinema at the festival in October this year.

    Turkey’s first television export to India, Feriha on Zee – Zindagi has been well received by the Indian audiences and an average of 36 million viewers in India each week. Encouraged by its success, many Indian networks including the leading GEC’s are in talks with Turkish content providers to roll out more Turkish serials on Indian television says an official release.

  • Turkey airs its first Indian drama series ‘Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon’

    Turkey airs its first Indian drama series ‘Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon’

    MUMBAI: Star Network has further expanded the global reach of its content by showcasing its romance drama, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon, to television audiences in Turkey.

    Since November 2015, the show, dubbed in Turkish and rechristened Bir Garip A?k, has been delighting viewers of local Turkish channel Kanal 7 to such an extent that it has quadrupled its ratings, increasing the channel’s ranking significantly across different target groups in the slot in which it is airing.

    Kanal 7 Turkey general manager Zahid Akman said, “We are very happy with the choice we have made to air a Star India drama. For us, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon (‘Bir Garip A?k’ in Turkish) is a magical love story told like a fairy tale.”

    A long-time partner of Star India in the territories of Europe, Russia and Turkey, Intellecta Srl CEO Christina Vlahova says, “Kanal 7 had the pioneering spirit to dare and give its viewers the chance to be the first to watch an Indian TV drama in Turkey. We have always known deep inside that the Star India dramas will work in Turkey since they present the same social and moral values which are treasured by the Turkish society. There is a strong focus on family values, which is important both in Turkey and India. We just add more color to it.”

    Among such globally successful shows from Star India’s drama series are Yeh Hai Mohabbatein and the epic mythological Mahabharat, which are also huge global hits. Sapna Babul Ka…Bidaai, is among the most successful drama serieses in Europe while  Saraswatichandra and Ek Hasina Thi have aired in more than 30 countries. On the other hand Diya Aur Baati Hum, which has aired successfully in more than 15 countries, and  Sadda Haq, a show that is very popular with young audiences in South Africa.  All these shows are aired after dubbing or subtitling the content in the international markets.

  • Turkey airs its first Indian drama series ‘Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon’

    Turkey airs its first Indian drama series ‘Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon’

    MUMBAI: Star Network has further expanded the global reach of its content by showcasing its romance drama, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon, to television audiences in Turkey.

    Since November 2015, the show, dubbed in Turkish and rechristened Bir Garip A?k, has been delighting viewers of local Turkish channel Kanal 7 to such an extent that it has quadrupled its ratings, increasing the channel’s ranking significantly across different target groups in the slot in which it is airing.

    Kanal 7 Turkey general manager Zahid Akman said, “We are very happy with the choice we have made to air a Star India drama. For us, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon (‘Bir Garip A?k’ in Turkish) is a magical love story told like a fairy tale.”

    A long-time partner of Star India in the territories of Europe, Russia and Turkey, Intellecta Srl CEO Christina Vlahova says, “Kanal 7 had the pioneering spirit to dare and give its viewers the chance to be the first to watch an Indian TV drama in Turkey. We have always known deep inside that the Star India dramas will work in Turkey since they present the same social and moral values which are treasured by the Turkish society. There is a strong focus on family values, which is important both in Turkey and India. We just add more color to it.”

    Among such globally successful shows from Star India’s drama series are Yeh Hai Mohabbatein and the epic mythological Mahabharat, which are also huge global hits. Sapna Babul Ka…Bidaai, is among the most successful drama serieses in Europe while  Saraswatichandra and Ek Hasina Thi have aired in more than 30 countries. On the other hand Diya Aur Baati Hum, which has aired successfully in more than 15 countries, and  Sadda Haq, a show that is very popular with young audiences in South Africa.  All these shows are aired after dubbing or subtitling the content in the international markets.