New page on screens: Is the 140-minute era in Turkish TV series coming to an end?

Turkey’s TV drama industry is confronting a sharp squeeze from falling advertising revenue and rising production costs, with per-episode budgets reaching 30–35 million lira and producers asking actors to accept pay cuts. The sector, which reaches millions of viewers abroad, is also debating whether to shorten episodes that currently run up to 140 minutes as a way to curb expenses. The outcome matters because Turkey is a major global exporter of scripted series, and any shift in running times or budgets could reshape how these shows are made and sold internationally. Watch for whether broadcasters and producers formally adopt shorter episodes and whether talent agrees to fee reductions.