For our MIPCOM 2026 issue, we spoke with Inter Medya team.
Inter Medya enters MIPCOM 2026 with an expanding content ecosystem spanning distribution, original production, co-productions and micro dramas. As the company continues to broaden its international footprint, its executives share how its strategy is evolving across formats and territories.
Founder and CEO Can Okan and COO Ahmet Ziyalar discuss Inter Medya’s transformation into a full-fledged content studio, its approach to content investment and its ambitions for the global market. President Hasret Özcan looks at the company’s growing micro drama slate and expanding co-production strategy, including Boardroom to Bedroom and Caged Love.
VP and Head of Sales and Acquisitions Beatriz Cea Okan discusses renewed momentum for Turkish drama across Latin America, the US Hispanic market, Spain and Brazil, while Senior Sales and Communication Manager Sinem Alışkan explores the continued growth of Turkish content in CEE and Inter Medya’s push into Western Europe. Senior Sales, Acquisition and Strategy Manager Pelin Koray looks at the contrasting dynamics and emerging opportunities across MENA, Africa and Asia, while Sales Manager Melissa Şimşek examines changing buyer expectations and the enduring strength of Turkish drama in the CIS region.
Together, the executives offer a broad view of how Inter Medya is navigating a rapidly changing global content landscape, from established drama markets and new territories to emerging formats and evolving buyer demands.
CAN OKAN (FOUNDER & CEO) & AHMET ZİYALAR (COO)
Since we last spoke, Inter Medya’s transformation into a full-fledged content studio has continued to take shape across distribution, production, co-productions and micro dramas. Looking ahead, what is the next phase of this strategy, and where do you see the biggest growth opportunities for Inter Medya?
CAN OKAN (FOUNDER AND CEO): Our transformation into a full-fledged content studio has been a natural evolution across distribution, production, co-productions and micro dramas. Moving forward, our next phase focuses on deepening our production capabilities while diversifying our content portfolio to meet changing global demands.
AHMET ZİYALAR (COO): From an operational and strategic standpoint, our biggest growth opportunities lie in scaling our footprint across multiple formats, from our core high-volume mainstream dramas to innovative mini-series and micro dramas like Boardroom to Bedroom. By managing a diverse ecosystem of content, we can capture different revenue streams and reach audiences across varying platforms worldwide.
With mainstream dramas still at the heart of your catalogue while micro dramas, mini-series and co-productions are expanding rapidly, how do you decide where to invest and which projects to develop or acquire? Are international market signals increasingly influencing those decisions from the very beginning?
C.O.: Deciding where to invest and which projects to develop or acquire always starts with storytelling quality and emotional resonance, but international market signals play a critical role right from the very beginning. We closely analyze global buyer trends, shifting viewer habits across traditional and digital spaces, and what international programmers are actively seeking.
A.Z.: Exactly. Our greenlighting and acquisition decisions are deeply data-driven and market-informed. Because we operate both as a global distributor and an expanding co-producer, we align early development with what the international market demands, balancing the high production value of traditional series with the agility required for emerging formats.
MIPCOM comes at an interesting moment for Inter Medya, with your distribution catalogue, original productions, co-productions and micro dramas all expanding at the same time. What are you hoping to achieve at this year’s market, and what would make MIPCOM 2026 a successful edition for Inter Medya?
C.O.: MIPCOM 2026 arrives at a thrilling time for us as our distribution catalogue, original productions, co-productions, and micro dramas expand simultaneously. Our primary goal this year is to showcase the breadth of our extended catalogue, highlighting major titles like Caged Love, Eshref Ruya, and Halef, and forge new global partnerships that strengthen our footprint across continents. We will also be launching our newest title for the season during MIPCOM 2026.
A.Z.: A successful MIPCOM 2026 for Inter Medya means getting together with all our business partners and having meaningful meetings across all our content verticals, engaging robustly with international buyers for both our long-running series, feature films and our newer series, and cementing our position as a leading distributor. Of course, the joy of having everyone from the industry together at MIPCOM is truly something else!
HASRET ÖZCAN (PRESIDENT)
At MIPCOM last year, you announced that Inter Medya was entering the vertical drama space. Since then, Boardroom to Bedroom has reached millions of viewers, while the company has expanded its micro drama catalogue and established a dedicated team for the format. How has this first year of experience shaped your strategy, and what comes next for Inter Medya in the micro drama space?
Our first year of experience in the micro drama space has proven the immense potential of this format. Having Boardroom to Bedroom reach millions of viewers and establishing a dedicated team has fully validated our strategic entry into micro dramas. Moving forward, we plan to further expand our catalogue and continue innovating within this fast-growing genre. Currently, we have five micro dramas in production. We will announce their details towards the end of the year.
Inter Medya’s co-production strategy is also gaining momentum, with Caged Love moving into production with Rise Studios. What kinds of stories and international partners are you looking for now, and do you see co-productions becoming a larger part of Inter Medya’s business in the coming years?
With Caged Love moving into production alongside Rise Studios, our co-production strategy has gained remarkable momentum. We are actively seeking compelling stories with global appeal and strong international partners who share our vision. We certainly see co-productions evolving into an even larger and more strategic part of Inter Medya’s business in the years ahead.
BEATRIZ CEA OKAN (VP AND HEAD OF SALES AND ACQUISITIONS)
Latin America has shown renewed momentum for Turkish drama this year, with titles such as Halef expanding into Panama, El Salvador and Honduras, while Valley of Hearts was also licensed in Bolivia and El Salvador. What are you seeing behind this renewed demand, and have buyer preferences in the region changed compared with previous years?
Latin America has always been one of our core markets, and its momentum has truly never slowed down. Behind this ongoing demand lies a universal appreciation for compelling narratives. But with a distinct evolution, while regional buyers continue to prioritize strong emotional storytelling and high production values, they have simultaneously become much more receptive, flexible, and demanding toward diverse formats, fresh storytelling styles, and varied content portfolios compared to previous years.
You also oversee the US Hispanic, Spanish and Brazilian markets. Are you seeing a convergence in the way buyers across these territories approach Turkish content, or do they still require very different strategies in terms of genres, formats and storytelling?
Each of these markets -the US Hispanic territory, Spain, and Brazil- possesses its own unique set of dynamics. Although we notice some shared ground in overall viewer habits, these regions still require tailored strategies regarding genres, formats, and storytelling to match local buyer profiles.
SİNEM ALIŞKAN (SENIOR SALES AND COMMUNICATION MANAGER)
Halef has now expanded into multiple CEE markets, while Caged Love is emerging as another key title for the region. As Turkish drama becomes increasingly established in CEE, what are buyers looking for now that goes beyond simply having a strong Turkish title?
I would say that the market has definitely evolved in CEE. Turkish drama is no longer something buyers are simply discovering; audiences are already familiar with the genre, and there is a strong understanding of what Turkish content can deliver. This growing familiarity has also opened the door to more diverse opportunities, with buyers now looking for titles that bring something fresh and distinctive to their audiences.
Beyond a strong story and cast, they are paying close attention to the emotional connection a title can create with local audiences, how well it can fit different viewing habits, and whether it has the potential to stand out in an increasingly competitive content landscape. We also see growing interest in stories that can appeal to different demographics and platforms while still keeping the emotional qualities that audiences love about Turkish drama.
With titles such as Halef and Caged Love, we are seeing that buyers are particularly interested in fresh stories, strong characters and contemporary elements, combined with the emotional storytelling that Turkish drama is known for. For us, the key is finding the right balance: bringing the familiarity and strength of Turkish storytelling while offering something that feels fresh and relevant for each market.
CEE has become a very mature market for Turkish content, and I think this maturity is creating new opportunities for us as distributors. Buyers know what works, but at the same time, they are challenging us to keep bringing new stories and titles that can create a strong connection with their audiences. For us, this is a very positive development, because it pushes us to constantly think about what comes next.
At Series Mania, you highlighted Western Europe as an important market that Inter Medya is looking to break into. What progress have you made on that front since then, and could CEE success provide a pathway for Turkish content into markets such as Portugal and Western Europe more broadly?
Western Europe remains a very important focus for us, and since Series Mania we have continued to strengthen our relationships and deepen our discussions with buyers across the region. We are seeing genuine interest in Turkish content, and our focus is on understanding each market individually and finding the titles that we believe can resonate best with local audiences.
Our success in CEE is definitely helping us in this process. The strong performance of Turkish drama across the region has shown us that these stories can travel successfully beyond their original markets and connect with audiences from different cultural backgrounds. We believe this gives Turkish content a strong foundation as we explore opportunities in Western Europe.
At the same time, we are also looking at different ways of introducing Turkish content to these markets. Our mini-series, such as The Ivy and Modern Woman, can play an important role here. Their shorter format and contemporary storytelling give us another way to reach buyers and audiences who are open to different formats and viewing experiences.
Portugal is particularly interesting for us because there is already an appreciation for international drama and a strong connection with serialized storytelling. At the same time, we don’t see Western Europe simply as an extension of our CEE strategy. Every market has its own dynamics, and we are taking the time to understand what buyers are looking for and which of our titles can genuinely fit those needs.
What matters to us is not simply placing a Turkish title in a new territory but building a lasting presence for Turkish content in these markets. Our success in CEE has shown us that there is a strong appetite for Turkish stories beyond the markets where they are already established, and we see Western Europe as an exciting next step in expanding that reach.
PELİN KORAY (SENIOR SALES, ACQUISITION AND STRATEGY MANAGER)
You oversee three very diverse territories: MENA, Africa and Asia. Looking at your recent experience, which of these markets is currently showing the strongest momentum for Inter Medya, and where do you see the biggest opportunities for growth?
“Diverse” is definitely the word I would use as well. The three regions I oversee are very different in terms of viewing habits, culture and their relationship with Turkish content. In MENA, Turkish dramas have a deeply established audience, with strong fan communities around both the series and the talent. Africa also remains a consistent market for Turkish drama, supported by strong free-TV consumption despite economic challenges. We recently closed a deal for our latest hit Eshref Ruya with one of the biggest players in Africa. So, in terms of established business today, MENA and Africa naturally remain larger markets for Turkish content.
What makes Asia particularly exciting, however, is the momentum we are beginning to see. We have just returned from BCWW, where we saw growing interest not only in licensing long-running Turkish dramas, but also in Turkish IP for local adaptation. Following the remake deal for Love Undercover (Ruhun Duymaz) in Korea, we are already in discussions for additional Turkish IPs. At the same time, we see room to expand beyond traditional drama through more genre-driven content, including horror, war and action films. For example, we recently closed a deal for our war movie To Die For (Can Feda) in Korea.
To summarize, I would say MENA continues to be an important market for us, with strong demand for Turkish content and further room for growth. We recently closed new deals for titles including Poison Ivy (Gecenin Ucunda) and Another Chance (Gelsin Hayat Bildigi Gibi). Halef will soon premiere on Disney+ in the MENA region. We also continue to explore international co-production opportunities following projects such as Caged Love (Tutsak Sevda) with Rise Studios. I would say MENA and Africa represent strong, established business for us today, while Asia is where we see some of the most interesting new avenues opening up.
Asia has been identified as one of the biggest opportunities for vertical drama, while Inter Medya has also explored format adaptations in markets such as Korea. How are you approaching Asia today, and do you see vertical drama becoming a new entry point for Turkish content in markets where traditional Turkish series have not yet reached their full potential?
We definitely see strong potential for vertical drama in Asia, but more importantly, we see it as a new way to introduce Turkish content and Turkish storytelling to audiences who may not yet be familiar with our traditional series.
Turkish storytelling is a natural fit for the vertical format; strong emotions, constant twists, suspense and powerful cliffhangers have always been at the heart of Turkish drama, and these are exactly the elements that keep audiences watching in vertical.
There is a lot of low-budget and AI-generated content in the vertical space today, so we believe there is real room for high-quality Turkish productions to stand out. With strong production values and storytelling, we can bring something different to the vertical market.
Our first vertical, Boardroom to Bedroom, has already secured multiple deals, and we now have five more projects in production. It’s also important to mention that we invest in high-quality dubbing in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic.
We deliberately work with professional dubbing rather than relying on AI-generated voices, because we believe the quality of the localization is just as important as the quality of the original production to deliver the emotion and tone as they travel to different audiences. For us, vertical is also a new gateway to Turkish storytelling and a way to reach global audiences who are already showing a strong interest in Turkish content.
MELISSA ŞİMŞEK (SALES MANAGER)
Looking at the CIS region, what types of Turkish dramas are currently generating the strongest interest from buyers? Are you seeing audiences and broadcasters respond differently to newer titles compared with established Turkish hits?
When looking at the CIS market, Turkish drama remains the premier international content choice across the region. I believe one of the biggest factors this comes down to is our shared societal values and relatable family dynamics, which allow local audiences to form an instant emotional connection with our stories. We’ve seen that viewers consistently gravitate toward high-emotion storytelling, such as powerful family dramas like Deception (Aldatmak), intense romance and love triangles like Halef, or classic “enemies-to-lovers” and revenge themes.
Regarding market performance, we’ve observed two different strategies from buyers. Established library titles, which we call evergreen titles, continue to be a primary anchor. Broadcasters and platforms rely on these proven hits because they maintain strong audience retention, deliver stable television ratings, and act as dependable, low-risk programming assets.
A prime example is Endless Love (Kara Sevda). Even years after its release, it continues to be re-licensed repeatedly across CIS territories, becoming an evergreen classic for both TV and platforms. Meanwhile, newer releases generate strong excitement for fans. Buyers continuously hunt for fresh premieres that bring immediate marketing buzz, attract broader audiences, and drive subscriber growth for digital platforms.
As Turkish content continues to expand across the CIS, how are buyer expectations evolving in terms of genre, episode length and platform strategy? Are you seeing any early interest in shorter formats such as mini-series or micro dramas?
While buyer tastes are evolving, I do have to say that the core expectation in the CIS region still remains centered on traditional long-form storytelling. Long-form drama is what audiences associate with Turkish content. Broadcasters and streamers prefer higher episode counts to fill their daily programming and maintain long-term viewer engagement.
Shorter formats and mini-series are beginning to find their footprint, primarily due to the increase in digital SVOD and AVOD platforms looking for bingeable content. It’s still a developing segment compared to traditional long-form; however, we are seeing steady momentum from buyers in the region who are looking for short-form content to add variety to their libraries.
For the last couple of years, we have expanded into vertical microdramas, building a catalogue full of different genres. Though it’s still in an experimental phase across the CIS region, we concluded a deal for our very first vertical drama, Boardroom to Bedroom, in the territory, so platform outreach has been very much positive. Given that Turkish drama is already one of the top foreign genres in the territory, platforms recognize the value of combining Turkish IP with short-form vertical storytelling.
