Turkish soap operas topic of meeting with Arab officials

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Period drama ‘Muhteşem Yüzyıl’ is one of the most popular productions in Turkey.

President Abdullah Gül said Turkish soap operas were the focal point of the meetings with officials of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which broadcasts Turkish soaps on TV.

“They asked me what will happen at the end of the Turkish series,” Gül said, “and said their wives were always sitting in front of the televisions for the shows.”

Gül said it was important that another culture liked Turkish television series. Gül also said this was about having the same taste in cultural issues. Common cultural values and common history increase interest in the Turkish series, he said.

The Turkish president also met with Zayed University students. He said the students told him they all watched the Turkish series “Muhteşem Yüzyıl” (Magnificent Century).

The Turkish TV series “Muhteşem Yüzyıl,” which has become one of the most popular productions in Turkey, increasing people’s interest in Ottoman history, will begin to be broadcast throughout the world this month.

“Muhteşem Yüzyıl” was introduced to the world last year during the MIPTV Television Fair in Cannes. The series drew great interest from many international channels and will now be distributed in 40 countries, 22 of which are in the Middle East.

Turkey earned more than $60 million last year from exporting TV series. More than 100 Turkish TV series were watched in over 20 countries in 2011.