As a publication closely following the international television industry, Episode Magazine has been attending the Dubai International Content Market (DICM) for several years, keeping track of the developments shaping the regional and global content business. Our presence at this year’s edition offered another opportunity to observe the market, follow industry discussions and meet the companies driving content distribution across the region.
The ninth edition of the Dubai International Content Market (DICM) brought together international content professionals at Madinat Jumeirah on November 10–11. While expectations ahead of this year’s event were more cautious than in previous years, the market offered an interesting picture of an industry continuing to adapt to regional uncertainties, changing audience demands and new business opportunities.
There had been considerable talk about DICM being quieter this year. Regional security concerns that prevented participants from several countries from attending had contributed to these expectations. Yet the Turkish stands remained busy throughout the event.
Although the overall atmosphere felt more subdued compared with previous editions, Turkish companies continued to attract attention from regional buyers and industry professionals. The presence of companies such as TRT Sales, Kanal D International, ATV Distribution, Inter Medya, OGM Universe and Calinos Entertainment once again demonstrated Türkiye’s established position in the MENA content market.
The Consul General of Türkiye in Dubai, Selçuk Özcan, also highlighted the country’s international television industry, noting its position among the world’s leading TV exporters and its ambition to reach $1 billion in content exports by the end of 2026. His remarks underlined the importance of the MENA region, where the media and entertainment industry continues to expand.
The Future of TV in MENA: An International Conversation in Arabic?
One of the most anticipated sessions was DICM in Conversation – The Future of TV in MENA. Given the region’s importance to the international television business, the discussion was expected to attract considerable interest from professionals looking to understand the market’s future.
However, one aspect stood out: the session was conducted entirely in Arabic.
This was somewhat unexpected at an international content market, particularly considering that the topic was relevant to participants from across the industry, not just Arabic-speaking professionals. The issue was not the use of Arabic itself, but the lack of accessibility for an international audience. An English-language discussion or simultaneous interpretation could have made the session considerably more inclusive.
A similar situation arose with Spotlight Stories: The DICM 2026 Pitching Challenge, where five selected regional projects were presented in Arabic. While the initiative provided an interesting platform for local storytelling, the language choice again limited its reach among international attendees.
For an event positioning itself as an international meeting point, making key discussions accessible to a wider audience is certainly worth considering.
Audience Trends and the Business Behind Production
Other sessions offered useful insights into the industry’s changing priorities. Parrot Analytics and Rise Studios’ presentation, Reality Check: The Unscripted Shift, highlighted the growing demand for unscripted content across MENA. According to the research, demand for unscripted programming increased 3.5 times between 2021 and 2026, compared with 2.2 times for scripted content. The UAE and Saudi Arabia accounted for approximately 62% of regional unscripted demand, while the limited global supply of Arabic-language unscripted programming pointed to further opportunities for local producers.
TRT also presented its upcoming programming through Elevate Your Ramadan Line Up, focusing on content for one of the region’s most important television seasons.
Meanwhile, Before the Cameras Roll: The Deals That Make or Break a Production shifted attention from content itself to the business and legal agreements behind it. The keynote highlighted how rights, contracts, financing and partnerships can ultimately determine whether a promising project makes it to production.
Istanbul Content Market: A New Development for Türkiye
Perhaps the most significant announcement for the Turkish industry was the launch of plans for the Istanbul Content Market (ICM), scheduled to take place in 2027.
Announced on the second day of DICM, the initiative will be developed through a partnership between INDEX Conferences & Exhibitions and the Television and Cinema Film Producers Association of Türkiye (TESİYAP), with the involvement of Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The planned two-day event aims to bring together producers, distributors, broadcasters, digital platforms, buyers and investors in Istanbul, creating opportunities for content licensing, distribution, co-production and business development.
For Türkiye, this represents more than the launch of another industry event. The country has established itself as one of the world’s leading television content exporters, and hosting an international market of its own could strengthen its position as a meeting point for the global industry.
Istanbul already has a strong production ecosystem and an established network of international distributors. Bringing international buyers and decision-makers directly to the city could create new opportunities not only for Turkish companies but also for the wider regional content business.
Looking Beyond Dubai
DICM 2026 may not have been the busiest edition, but it offered a useful snapshot of an industry navigating uncertainty while continuing to explore new opportunities. The continued activity around Turkish companies, the growing demand for unscripted content and the discussions surrounding regional production all demonstrated that MENA remains an important market for international players.
The event also highlighted some of the questions facing the industry: how regional content can reach wider audiences, how local markets can attract international partnerships, and how changing viewer preferences will influence future production and distribution strategies.
Ultimately, the conversations at DICM went beyond individual titles and distribution deals. They reflected a market in transition, one where established players are reassessing their strategies while new opportunities continue to emerge. For the international television industry, keeping a close eye on these developments will remain just as important as the deals made on the exhibition floor.
