THE IMPACT OF NETFLIX ON TURKISH CULTURE: THE CONCEPT OF AUTHENTICITY IN THE SERIES “THE PROTECTOR” AND “THE GIFT”

Abstract: 

Netflix, which was established as a DVD buying and rental company in 1997 and has continued to grow as a movie streaming service since 2007, is undoubtedly one of the most important and profitable Silicon Valley ventures of the 21st Century. As of 2010, Netflix has managed to announce its name worldwide by going out of the USA and internationalizing, and the company has more than 167 million paid subscribers by the end of 2019. It was seen that Netflix, which produced the first original series in 2013 and now has released nearly 371 originals only in 2019, will not only remain as digital distribution and display platform but will also operate globally as a production platform as well. Since January 2016, the Company has also started its activities in Turkey. Netflix, which has been providing Turkish subtitles and dubbing services for its existing content for a while, brought its first Turkish original series, “The Protector”, and its second Turkish original series “The Gift” to its subscribers in December 2019. The fact that Turkish TV series can meet with viewers on a global scale through Netflix has allowed the current series production, distribution and display system to change. Producers and directors now have the opportunity to internationalize by negotiating with Netflix, without having to look for a chance to be shown on their own national television channels, trying to find new customers in TV series festivals and worrying about success in the TV market of a different country. Netflix’s Turkish original series’ audiences, both national and international viewers, have a chance to watch the series' narrative within Turkey's major touristic locations. Thus, viewers experience Turkish culture in a touristic context, blended with authentic and mystical features, which may go wrong and might end with stereotyping of culture in an orientalist perspective. In this research, the economic and cultural consequences of internationalization, created by the co-production of “The Protector” and “The Gift” series in partnership with Netflix and Turkish producers, will be evaluated.