They are presenting the series The Secret of the Pearls and Three Sisters during LA Screenings. They announced the premiere of a new summer series, The Family Burden (working title), which begins airing at the end of May.
*By Luis Cabrera and Fernando Moreno, from Los Angeles
One of Kanal D International’s new goals is diversifying revenue sources and not limiting them only to broadcast TV sales. The company is exploring other business models to place its successful Turkish dramas on AVOD platforms, SVOD, possible alliances with YouTube in different regions, and even new FAST channels.
This was commented to ttvnews by Elif Tatoğlu, Kanal D International’s Director of Distribution Strategy, who said, “Lately what we are trying to do is to explore new sources of revenue other than free-to-air TV sales, such as AVOD platforms, SVOD platforms and even partnerships with YouTube in some regions,” she said.
The executive said they are in talks with FAST platforms to get their channels. “We have also looked at using some of our Kanal D Drama content on FAST sites on those AVOD platforms. We are trying to see what will work and what won’t, but we are very aware that pay TV is in decline, especially in the US, so we have to find a way to keep our Kanal D Drama and Kanal D going,” Tatoğlu stressed.
On the other hand, he announced the premiere of a new summer series, The Family Burden (working title), which starts airing at the end of May.
Regarding sales of Kanal D’s current catalog, Tatoğlu commented that some of the buyers are interested in current dramas and ongoing series, and ratings are a key element in their decision-making mechanism. “We recently reached an agreement with SIC Portugal, and they are adapting Ruthless City, Zalim Istambul. And I think they will start production at the end of June or July,” she noted.
Regarding the territories where Kanal D’s content is advancing more strongly, the Director of Distribution Strategy indicated, “The classic regions such as LATAM are very strong. The CIS, the Russian market, is currently robust for us, and we are now entering the Asian markets. We are about to close some agreements. It is a new market for us, a new opportunity. CEE is very strong; there are a lot of channels there, which is a great opportunity to show our series.”
Kanal D dramas at LA Screenings
Regarding the titles they have brought to promote at LA Screenings, Sibel Levendoğlu, Director of Sales for Latin America and the United States at Kanal D International, mentioned they are presenting their latest series, The Secret of the Pearls. “It started in January, and since then, it has been number one in its time slot, so we are very happy. It is a very different story since the point of view is of a man, the main character is a man already of a certain age, and the actor himself is the one who produces and directs, and he has a very special language since he is a poet. We are starting to dub it, but we already want to talk about it because, with the success it is having, it is impossible not to talk about it,” she said.
The second major title is Three Sisters. “Since we have finished three seasons and a total of 283 episodes, the series is already dubbed and ready for delivery. We have sold it in Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Panama, Mexico, and recently in Costa Rica. We are very happy with the success it has had abroad, and we want to continue its journey through the remaining territories it is available in. It is a series that has all the elements of Turkish drama: there is family, there is rivalry, there is love, there is falling out of love and falling in love again, and there is everything that audiences like. At the end of this month, we premiere a series called The Family Burden; it is from the same producer of Three Sisters, so we are expecting a very good product,” she concluded.
