Warner Bros. Expands in Turkey with Local Partner

Warner Bros. Discovery has forged a new strategic alliance with Turkey's Doğuş Media Group, signaling a significant expansion of its presence in the Turkish media market. This partnership is designed to co-finance and co-broadcast scripted television series originating from Turkey.

The initial project to emerge from this collaboration is the romantic comedy-drama titled "Tuzlu Kahve" (Salted Love). Produced by Poll Films, the series is set to debut on the free-to-air network Star TV. Following its broadcast premiere, "Tuzlu Kahve" will become available on HBO Max in Turkey and internationally, just 24 hours later.

This venture follows Warner Bros. Discovery's recent acquisition and rebranding of the Turkish streamer BluTV into HBO Max late last year. The company has been investing heavily in Turkish original productions. This new deal allows for shared production costs while ensuring a steady stream of content for subscribers, although not all content will be exclusive.

The collaboration mirrors recent strategies by other major studios, where global streaming platforms partner with local broadcasters. This approach grants access to new local programming, enabling legacy studios to enhance their content libraries and local partners to take creative risks. Both companies expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, anticipating a strong reception for "Tuzlu Kahve" and a long-lasting partnership.

Deniz Şaşmaz Oflaz of Warner Bros. Discovery highlighted Turkey's dynamic production market and its creative talent. She emphasized that the partnership combines Star TV's reach with Warner Bros. Discovery's production and streaming expertise, creating a model to support and distribute Turkish content globally. Şebnem Aksoy Açıkalın of Star TV also welcomed the opportunity to reach HBO Max audiences, expressing hope for a fruitful and extended collaboration.