Interview | Ebru Atasav Tahrancı, CEO of Acunmedya

Acunmedya, which produces various formats, also owns one of Turkey’s most-watched TV channels, TV8, as well as the local digital streaming platform, Exxen. We conducted an interview with Ebru Atasav Tahrancı, the CEO of Acunmedya, where we evaluated their activities in production, distribution, and broadcasting. Tahrancı emphasized their focus on developing new formats this year and mentioned their plans to unveil promising ideas they are currently working on at MIPTV.

Acunmedya owns both global and Turkish productions, along with TV8, one of the most-watched TV channels in Türkiye, and Exxen, the local digital platform. We would like to discuss all of them, but let’s start with the production segment first. How many countries worldwide does Acunmedya currently produce content for, and which productions?

We are currently producing for 15 countries. We produce our format Exatlon as well as world-renowned formats including Survivor, MasterChef, The Voice, and many more.

Which countries/regions are Acunmedya’s strongest, and with which works does it maintain its power in these countries/regions?

Mexico and Greece are the countries -and Telemundo we work directly with, we have a close relationship with the broadcaster we work with. For these channels, we produce numerous hours of prime-time programming. Germany will be now one of them, as we recently had an acquisition of 50 percent of Sport1. Our main vision of change its programming to a sports entertainment one together with our partners, so it will be also one of our leading countries.

Which countries/regions are the most watched by your productions? I believe Acunmedya possesses the most comprehensive data and information regarding global audience dynamics within the Turkish sector. As the manager of a global company, what are your observations about the audience dynamics in countries? What are the common and unique characteristics of the audiences in the countries where your productions are broadcast? Finally, in which region/country do you think the audience is most similar to the Turkish audience?

For me, there is not such a huge difference in different countries, if you manage to build up a good story with good characters it’s watched everywhere. I think the audience in Greece and Mexico are very similar to the Turkish audience, very sensitive, emotional, and connected to the story we are telling.

TV8 is one of the top 3 most watched TV channels in Türkiye, airing mostly competitions/formats, despite competing with strong series in prime time every day. To what do you attribute TV8’s success in prime time with MasterChef and Survivor?

We are the only channel that has entertainment and reality formats against dramas, I think we succeeded in giving our audience a bit of difference and variety.

Turkish TV series are sold to more than 100 countries, watched, and loved. However, your programs are probably watched more than Turkish TV series in some countries. What are your plans for new formats? Do you intend to develop and introduce new formats globally in 2024?

This year we focus on developing new formats, we made this a priority to create, enhance, and establish new formats. We currently have promising ideas we’re working on and hope to bring them to MIPTV.

“We’re the Sole Entertainment & Reality Channel in the Face of Dramas” -Ebru Atasav Tahrancı, CEO of Acunmedya

Does Acunmedya open doors for Turkish TV series in the new markets/countries it enters with its content? In this sense, how are your relations with Turkish content producers or distributors?

Turkish dramas are already successful all around the world, but we believe even in some markets, especially ones that never had Turkish dramas, I believe it it will also be a huge success as well. So, whichever country we produce for our goal is to introduce Turkish dramas as well. We are very close with all Turkish content producers and distributors. And we aim to work together in every territory we are present.

Does Acunmedya receive requests for series/film content for the countries where you produce formats from the TV channels they work with? Do you have any plans or targets for co-production series/films in different countries?

I cannot speak for movies, but dramas certainly. We will surely coproduce dramas in the countries we are actively working with.

At 2023 MIPCOM, you acquired the rights to BBC Studios’ interesting format 1% Club. When will the program be aired in Türkiye? Will you undertake the production in different countries other than Türkiye?

Yes, in a very short period, 1% Club had great success in numerous countries. We hope to commence production during the new season of TV8 in Türkiye.

Exxen, one of Türkiye’s local platforms, is also affiliated with Acunmedya. In the first years of Exxen, many different types of series were made. Crime, comedy, drama, etc. Are these series broadcast in different countries around the world? What kind of sales and editorial policies do you follow regarding Exxen content?

We have only comedy and reality shows as well as sports content on Exxen, we don’t have an archive or library, and we don’t have dramas. All the other platforms have countless options to offer from these genres, which is why we wanted to give something different to our subscribers. As a next step, we have a plan to launch Exxen also in the countries where we have a presence and have an understanding of the audience and we plan to reach them with original content for these countries as well.

What can the Turkish audience expect from Exxen in 2024, apart from formats and programs? Are there any goals such as series, film production, and broadcasting of global content?

We will add new comedy series and new reality shows to our lineup and continue with an extensive selection of sports content for our sports subscribers.

As the manager of a production company that produces TV channels, digital platforms, and formats aired on TV channels in many countries around the world, we would like to get your predictions of TV. In the long term future, there will be many more stand-alone content producers, which create and continue to create diversity and freedom to reach their audiences wherever and whenever they want. In fact, it’s already like this. However, I believe freedom will expand, evolve, and transform into forms that we may not currently envision. In the end, the producers and content creators will have immersed freedom, and much more opportunity.

You are also bringing new people to the sector with Acunmedya Academy in Türkiye. We would like to ask you to tell us about the importance of Acunmedya Academy for Acunmedya, and also what do you think are the needs of the sector in terms of trained personnel in Türkiye?

There are numerous media schools in our country, and our paths cross with many new talents, we also collaborate and work with so multiple young people who have recently graduated from media schools. With Acunmedya Academy, we wanted to give a second chance and a platform to start with to the young talents who have a passion for content creation in any form. I believe the sector needs more people with expertise and training in the verticals like light, and sound as well as increased know-how on storytelling, picture, and sound quality etc. Our universities have a more horizontal approach towards media, they teach some of everything. But why don’t we have a university specialized in training the students specifically about light design or specific areas of sound design. We have people who educated themselves during their careers, but it would be a great start to focus on one area which is specialized training.

In the Dominican Republic, Acunmedya is not only shooting Survivor, which is aired in Türkiye but also its programs aired in different countries. You have stated that you are working as a factory there, do you envision the Acunmedya Academy in Türkiye in the Dominican Republic as well?

That’s definitely at the top of our to-do list. We are working to launch an Academy so that we can provide young people with education and assist them in building a career path. Soon we will have many talents from the Dominican Republic working with us, graduating from our Academy.

Are there any new markets or countries that you have just entered or will enter in 2024? What are Acunmedya’s targets for 2024 in Türkiye and the world?

We just announced our partnership with Sport1 and we are very happy to combine sport’s very strong existence in Sports1 in Germany for many years accompanied with our entertainment focus, I believe this partnership will lead to a great new variety of sports and entertainment channels for the German-speaking audience. Therefore, our priority this year is undoubtedly Sport1 in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

*This interview has been featured in the MIPTV 2024 issue of Episode Magazine.