For our Content Americas 2026 issue, we talked with Kanal D International’s Distribution Strategy & Sales Director Elif Tatoğlu and Kanal D International’s LATAM, North America, and Portuguese-Speaking Territories Sales Manager Duda Perman.
As global content markets face economic pressure and shifting buyer expectations, Turkish dramas continue to prove their long-lasting appeal. We talked with Kanal D International executives Elif Tatoğlu and Duda Perman about why emotionally grounded stories never lose value, how Sins and Roses is building strong international momentum, and which strategies are guiding the company’s expansion across key territories, from Latin America to MENA and Europe.
Sins and Roses moved very quickly on the international side. The story is bold, emotional, and very clear in what it promises to the audience, which makes it easy for buyers to position.”
Kanal D International has two evergreen titles that remain among the top Turkish dramas in Latin America: Fatmagül and Forbidden Love. Both are consistently ranked among the top 10 titles in the region. These successes show that classic love stories with strong emotions, dramatic conflicts, and unforgettable characters are what Latin American audiences most enjoy watching.”
How would you summarize 2025 for Kanal D International? What were the most significant developments and deals for you this year?
Elif Tatoğlu: We strengthened relationships with our long-standing partners and continued to work closely with key markets such as the Middle East, CIS, and several Latin American territories.
Economically, it was a challenging year globally. We tried to find common ground with our partners to keep business relationships sustainable. In markets where new titles were not always affordable, Kanal D’s catalogue played a key role. Our evergreen stories stepped in and delivered successful and economically viable results for our partners.
At the same time, we started opening doors in markets where we had not been very active before. For me, this was important. Not everything turns into a deal immediately, but building trust and understanding the market early always pays off.
From a commercial point of view, 2025 was also the year when our format business became more visible. Buyers were not only looking for finished episodes, but for flexibility. Our catalogue allows that: strong new titles, reliable library shows, and formats that can travel. This balance helped us respond to very different programming needs.
Overall, 2025 reminded us that we are not just selling content. We are building long-term partnerships.
Which of your titles attracted the most global interest in 2025? What does the success of these projects tell you about current audience preferences?
Elif Tatoğlu: Our recent titles such as Sins and Roses, The Family Burden, and Three Sisters clearly stood out in 2025. These titles generated strong interest across different regions.
At the same time, our evergreen titles continued to perform. Series such as Time Goes By, Price of Passion, For My Son, Kuzey Güney, and Ruthless City are still very much alive in the international market.
This tells us something very simple: audiences want strong emotions and real characters. New titles matter, of course, but good Turkish dramas do not expire easily. If a story is honest and emotionally grounded, it travels, whether it is new or ten years old.
Sins and Roses has stood out as a strong drama series. Starring Murat Yıldırım and Cemre Baysel, the series achieved major ratings success in Türkiye. How has its international journey been so far?
Elif Tatoğlu: Sins and Roses moved very quickly on the international side. The story is bold, emotional, and very clear in what it promises to the audience, which makes it easy for buyers to position.
Murat Yıldırım’s and Cemre Baysel’s international recognition certainly helped open doors, but what truly convinced buyers was the emotional weight of the story and the chemistry of the cast. The series has already been sold to MENA, CIS, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia. We have seen strong interest across territories, with ongoing conversations in Europe, CEE, and Latin America. It is clearly a title with a long life ahead of it.
Latin America is a key territory for Turkish dramas, and Kanal D International has built strong relationships in the region. What does Latin America represent for Turkish series, and how do you explain their popularity there?
Duda Perman: Although Latin America is geographically far from Türkiye, audiences in the region have become deeply fascinated by Turkish dramas. This connection comes from the strong cultural similarities, especially the importance of family values, emotional relationships, and the way people experience love and life. Themes such as family structure, passionate love stories, and betrayal between couples resonate strongly with Latin American audiences, creating a natural bond with Turkish storytelling.
Which titles from the Kanal D International catalogue have attracted the most interest in Latin America in recent years? What do these projects reveal about regional audience preferences?
Duda Perman: Kanal D International has two evergreen titles that remain among the top Turkish dramas in Latin America: Fatmagül and Forbidden Love. Both are consistently ranked among the top 10 titles in the region. These successes show that classic love stories with strong emotions, dramatic conflicts, and unforgettable characters are what Latin American audiences most enjoy watching. Three Sisters, Ruthless City and Time Goes By are the other titles that still attract attention.
From a broader perspective, which genres and storytelling approaches do you see as the most advantageous for Turkish series in today’s global market?
Elif Tatoğlu: Strong, character-driven drama remains our biggest advantage. Family stories, emotional conflicts, love, power, and moral dilemmas continue to resonate across all markets.
What has changed is the level of expectation. Stories still need to be emotionally strong, but they also have to be tighter, more contemporary, and visually appealing, with higher production standards. Audiences are more selective today.
Kanal D International has also been successful in selling formats. What recent developments or highlights can you share with us regarding your format portfolio?
Duda Perman: Kanal D’s format portfolio has been extremely successful, supported by a strong library of titles with proven performance worldwide. For format buyers, it is essential to see how a story has performed in other territories. This global track record helps evaluate the strength of the storyline, the characters, and the overall performance, making Kanal D formats a reliable and attractive choice for adaptation.
What are your key goals and priorities for Kanal D International in 2026?
Elif Tatoğlu: We will continue to focus strongly on Sins and Roses, while maintaining an active and consistent presence with our catalogue across international markets.
At the same time, we plan to place greater emphasis on format sales, as well as on building digital and platform partnerships that can create incremental revenues alongside traditional broadcasting models.
For me, sustainability is key. Strong relationships, strong stories, and realistic strategies. If we get that right, growth follows naturally.
What are your key objectives for the Latin American market in 2026?
Duda Perman: In 2026, our main focus in Latin America will be the sales of our new production Sins and Roses, while continuing to strengthen relationships with clients and actively promoting the availability of our catalogue titles across the region.
What are your expectations from Content Americas? Which types of projects do you anticipate will generate the most interest in the market?
Duda Perman: Content Americas is a very productive market for connecting with Latin American clients. We have already received confirmation that most of our key partners will be attending the market. Our main goal is to sell finished content as well as formats, focusing on projects with strong emotional storytelling, proven performance, and high adaptation potential.
