MBC, Medyapim and Ay Yapim sealed “First Look” and volume deals

Latest partnership unveiled at MIPCOM includes various “First Look” and volume deals relating to upcoming titles produced by Medyapim and Ay Yapim to broadcast MBC’s channels and Shahid in MENA and beyond. The companies will co-develop and commission Arabic-language productions to be filmed in KSA in coming years

MBC Group, the largest and leading media company in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has announced a brand-new partnership with the leading Turkish production companies, Medyapim and Ay Yapim. The five-year partnership unveiled will see a host of Turkish content shared exclusively with the Arabic group via “First Look” and volume deal agreements, along with original Arabic-language content being produced for the MENA market.

Sam Barnett, CEO of MBC, commented: ‘It’s no secret that Turkish content is extremely popular with MENA audiences – it’s a genre that has been rising in popularity in this region since the early noughties. With two fantastic Turkish production houses coming on board and collaborating with us, not only are audiences going to receive first access to upcoming Turkish TV hits, but we’re also going to focus on exchanging expertise and knowledge to produce some exciting Arabic-language dramas and other programs, shot in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and rest of the MENA region’. 

Fatih Aksoy, President of Medyapim, added: “We are very happy to announce a new and very exciting cooperation with MBC. It is our most sincere wish that this will be a most delightful endeavour for both parties, and also the beginning of a long-standing partnership.”

Kerem Çatay, CEO of Ay Yapim, stated: ‘Fifteen years ago, MBC was home to the first foreign network to broadcast an Ay Yapim series. They were leaders then, and they are leaders now. That’s why I’m so happy to be teaming up with them to create this new chapter in drama.  I know we will do great things together’.

Focusing on Turkish content, upcoming titles produced by Medyapim and Ay Yapim will appear exclusively as “First Look” titles in MENA or as part of a volume deal agreement via MBC’s TV channels, as well as Shahid, the world’s leading Arabic streaming platform by MBC GROUP. 

The “First Look” yet-to-be-announced titles, all dubbed in Arabic, will broadcast in MENA concurrently with their airing dates in Turkey. Furthermore, selected Turkish titles are set to be made available on Shahid’s wider network worldwide. Secondly, shifting to locally-produced content, MBC will work with Medyapim and Ay Yapim to co-develop and commission a number of Arabic-language productions, scheduled to begin filming in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and surrounding territories in the region in the coming years.