Türkiye is preparing a sweeping regulatory overhaul of its television and film industry aimed at curbing long-term contracts, lowering production costs and creating more opportunities for lesser-known actors, the country’s competition authority has announced.
Speaking on the planned measures, Competition Authority President Birol Küle said one of the key goals is to reduce barriers that prevent “no-name” actors from entering the market, arguing that subjective casting practices have narrowed opportunities and inflated production budgets.
Küle pointed to Türkiye’s unusually long television dramas, which often exceed three hours per episode on national broadcasters, saying the format is driven not only by advertising pressures but also by mounting production costs — particularly fees tied to established actors and talent agencies.
“There needs to be room for lesser-known performers,” Küle said, arguing that objective casting criteria would encourage wider participation and reduce dependence on a limited pool of market-dominant actors.
Under the upcoming regulation, production companies will also be prevented from locking actors into contracts lasting up to a decade, a practice Küle said restricts mobility and competition in the sector.
He argued that easing financial pressures on national broadcasters could result in shorter, higher-quality dramas with stronger creative output.
“We want to balance the creative side of the industry with the new regulation,” Küle said, adding that repetitive casting habits — such as directors repeatedly working with the same actors — can limit diversity in storytelling.
The reforms will also introduce structural separation in production and distribution. Producers will only be allowed to distribute their own films, while independent distributors will handle third-party titles. Casting direction and talent management will also be separated to avoid conflicts of interest.
In cinema, the authority plans to maintain limits on dominant theater chains, allocating excessive screen space to their own productions, preserving room for independent films.
Küle also said ongoing investigations into major streaming platforms, including Netflix and Disney+, are nearing resolution through commitments designed to ensure fairer competition, as Türkiye seeks to rebalance power across its fast-growing entertainment sector.
