Following the sudden announcement from MBC Group earlier this week that it would discontinue its Turkish series across all of its channels, Hasan Onal, Commercial Attaché, Consulate General of Turkey, said that the decision is an isolated one and does not apply to other TV networks in the GCC or the wider Arab world.

“This decision is solely from MBC Group and does not impact other networks. Although there are some speculations, we are unsure of the real reasons behind it. Other channels like Dubai TV as well as Netflix continue to run Turkish series. Turkish drama series are very popular all over the world. They score very high ratings and enjoy large fan base. Therefore, the decision of MBC would have a negative effect on its market share. After all, in today’s age, it is not easy to prevent people from viewing what they like while there are many ways to reach them,” commented Onal.

The news came just after the Dubai edition of DISCOP hosted four of the largest Turkish producers at the show. At DISCOP, Saudi Arabia’s media measurement chief also discussed 2017 figures, according to which Turkish series and Turkish films were the most watched content in the Kingdom.

“All the Turkish series are soaps and come with the sole purpose of entertaining viewers. They are all made by Turkish private companies and are extremely popular not only in the GCC and the Middle East but also in East Europe and the Far East countries. We believe that there is a big cultural connection between the Arab people and Turkish people, and we know that this decision has upset viewers in the region. We hope that the high demand for Turkish TV material and the dynamics of the market will compel a reversal in this decision,” added Onal.

Our recent cover story with Sam Barnett, CEO of MBC Group, indicates how passionate the network has been about Turkish dramas and the significant capital it has invested into producing several programmes in time for Ramadan.