SVT buys Turkish drama

Swedish pubcaster SVT has acquired another Turkish drama from Scandinavia-based distributor Eccho Rights.

Having already taken two Eccho-distributed Turkish series, SVT has now licensed Broken Pieces (Paramparça), which Endemol Shine Turkey produces for Star TV.

The series will run daily for 20 weeks in a 7.30pm slot on STV2 the autumn, with SVT’s team in Stockholm working with Endemol Shine Turkey to edit the original series down by 30%.

In 2013, SVT became the first European network to acquire a Turkish drama when it tapped Eccho for The End, and then later bought 20 Minutes. Both shows come from prolific Turkish producer Ay Yapim, with the former remade in the US as a pilot for NBC, in Russia, and in the Netherlands for KRO-NCRV.

It’s great that the broadcaster now wants to take Broken Pieces,” said Fredrik af Malmborg, managing director at Eccho Rights (pictured). “We are convinced that Swedish viewers will be glued to the screen of this original Turkish version with Swedish subtitles.”

In related news, commercial broadcaster Mediaset recently became the first Italian network to buy a Turkish drama, taking Cherry Season (Kiraz Mevsimi), which is from Surec Film and for Fox, from Eccho.

The show has been taking an average 18% share.