Raya Group Distribution is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and CEETV's Yako Molhov was curious to find out what are the company's plans for its second decade on the international TV market. Founder and CEO Ramazan Yirmibesoglu was happy to share some details on the company's strategic goals, current success stories and further plans for expansion.


Ramazan, you founded Raya Group back in 2013 and it has become one of the leading Turkish Content Distribution agencies worldwide. What have been the greatest challenges for you and your company in the past 10 years and what are your expectations for 2023?

Actually, from 2013 until now, we've come a long way. When we started, concepts like the market for Turkish series in this field were just emerging, and we learned both by trial and error, paving the way and learning to walk that path. I can still say that there's much more to learn. In the era we live in, everything changes and develops very quickly, and to stay in the flow of our industry, we're always researching the world's and regions' sociological structures, markets, newly emerging content, channels, and VOD platforms. The main goal of our company is to position the content we have in our catalog in the right place and gain the trust of our customers. We value every customer. Raya Group Distribution is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and for 2023, our goal is to continue providing excellent service to our existing customers, expanding the market, and of course, gaining the trust of new customers to expand our customer portfolio, just like in previous years.


Raya Group offers content from a plethora of genres: drama, action, comedy, thriller, period drama; etc. What kind of content is most-popular currently?

Yes, we strive to curate content in our catalog that caters to the preferences of our customers. This way, anyone can find what they're looking for, whether it's a series, a film of any genre, a documentary, or different formats. As you may know, over the past 12 years, Turkish dramas and historical period dramas have become a recognizable brand and gained popularity worldwide. Of course, Turkish dramas have always been leading and preferred content, but in recent years, thanks to Turkish producers, historical period dramas have also gained significant popularity due to their quality, grand scale, and elaborate costumes.


What are the latest trends in Turkish dramas in terms of storylines and issues?

In Turkey, TV series production has shown significant growth over the years. A major secret of Turkish dramas lies in their easily relatable emotional elements that resonate with almost every culture. Common themes in these narratives often include rural-to-urban migration, domestic violence, arranged marriages, rich-poor conflicts, urbanization dilemmas, and family values, reflecting societal changes. These topics enable viewers to empathize with the characters and take them on an emotional journey. The challenges, joys, and disappointments experienced by the characters evoke emotional responses from the audience, drawing them into the story. By reflecting Turkish culture, these series captivate the audience and remain timeless by staying relevant to the ever-changing dynamics.


Raya Group also offers scripted and unscripted formats. What are your best selling titles when it comes to format sales?

In the last few years, the Turkish TV series market has showcased its expansion through various series and show formats. Thanks to these formats, we have witnessed the broadening of Turkish dramas' reach across different countries and cultures in Latin America, the Balkans, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Many countries have drawn inspiration from Turkish series to create their own versions.

When it comes to TV series, drama undoubtedly takes the lead. Romantic comedies, in particular, have garnered significant attention in certain regions due to their engaging storylines. As for show formats, our brightest star is undoubtedly Bride in the Kitchen. This daily cooking game-show format features brides and mothers-in-law participating as pairs, competing against other couples in the studio.


What are the latest titles that Raya offers to the international market? What about your bestsellers, which titles have been sold to the highest number of territories?

As I mentioned before, there has been a significant increase in interest in Turkish historical costume drama series in recent times. Our series The Sultan and Khan, which is part of our catalog, stands out as one of the most successful and high-quality historical costume drama series produced today. Spanning two seasons, this story, which revolves around Mongol Emperor Genghis Khan and Khwarezmshah Celaleddin, has gained popularity across various parts of the world. Thanks to Raya Group Distribution, viewers from regions including Bosnia, USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, the MENA region, and the CIS region have the opportunity to experience this content through Free TV, Pay TV, and VOD platforms.

The Yard series stands out among drama series as a special production. A powerful and authentic drama narrative has led this series to be distributed to 32 countries so far, and it is currently being broadcast in the MENA region, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Baltic states. We are also in the process of finalizing agreements with three countries in the Latin region.

Furthermore, considering the rapid development and change in our world, Raya Group Distribution has not overlooked VOD platforms in order to offer suitable content to every customer. We have also started including mini-series in our catalog. These miniseries, which are more appealing to the younger audience that prefers VOD platforms, include Influencer and Limit.


What about the most-important territories for you? Are you also looking to conquer new markets in 2023 and beyond?

Due to our global operations and the importance of promoting Turkish series worldwide and showcasing our culture, every region and country holds significant value for us. While we have established strong connections in regions such as Latin America, Balkans, Baltic countries, Middle East, and Asia, we are committed to expanding our reach further. We have dedicated sales managers for each region within our company, allowing us to provide attentive and high-quality services. Looking ahead to 2023 and beyond, our goal is to stay in tune with the current trends, stay updated, and find new customers.