CEETV is launching a series of interviews dedicated to the NATPE Budapest 2023 market (June 19-22) and the companies and executives that will be a part of the highly anticipated event following its change of ownership.

We kick off the series with one of the pioneers of the distribution business in Turkey and the whole region, Izzet Pinto, CEO of Global Agency.


Izzet, your company was one of the first distributors to confirm their participation at NATPE Budapest 2023. How important is this market to your company?

I think we may be the first Turkish company to attend NATPE Budapest. We have been participating since 2007. We have always cared about the CEE region as an important region.

Budapest means CEE, so it is one of the most important markets held throughout the year. It is a very target-oriented, efficient market.

We think that this year the market will be much more crowded and successful.


Do you remember the first time you attended the market? What are your memories about it?

It is one of the markets I will never forget! We joined in 2007. It was one of the markets where NATPE was also the most popular. Since the market was quite busy, I had to share the suite with another company. At that time, we were a company that only sold formats and we only had one project. Since then, we have attended the Budapest market every year.

Every year there would be a boat party at the market and I remember those parties as one of the highlights there.


What do you expect from this year’s NATPE Budapest? What is your impression of the new owners of the brand?

NATPE Budapest has always been a cozy, warm, mingling, family-like market.

We've been working with Brunico for Realscreen markets for many years, so we know how professional they are. We know the NATPE brand is in good hands.

A company like NATPE, which has existed in the industry for many years, will continue on its way, getting stronger with its name. We look forward to this year's market.


It is no secret that your series 1001 Nights started the Turkish drama fever in CEE which then went on to conquer the world. What role did the NATPE market in Budapest play in this process?

I remember well that I presented 1001 Nights at the 2008 NATPE Market. It had great success after it had been aired in Bulgaria. I was talking about this success to all the clients. At that market, I sold the series to Serbia, and then we sold it to dozens of territories with a domino effect.

1001 Nights and Magnificent Century are by far the most popular drama series that helped our company to grow.


You have a new hit series, tell us more about it. What else will you bring to NATPE Budapest this year?

We can say that One Love is the most talked about, controversial and resounding project this year. Each episode continues to increase its ratings.

The drama explores the conflicts between the conservative and the secular in Turkey so beautifully through two families. It deals openly and courageously with a subject that was never explored before in Turkey.

I think it will continue for a few seasons; Kosovo will air the series for the first time in the CEE region as well.

Other than that, we have two new strong dramas; Vendetta and Lonely Hearts. We are very confident about these series.


You also recently created a new format. Would you like to tell our readers about it?

One of my biggest passions is creating formats. Until now I used to create shiny floor formats. But this time I created a family entertainment gameshow titled Match the Family.

It's a format that I trust a lot. It has great humor and also huge excitement in the format structure. We will present this format to our customers in Budapest.


What type of content are CEE buyers looking for right now?

Turkish dramas are still very strong in the CEE region. In terms of formats, there is usually interest in cost-effective studio formats, especially the cooking format.


What other projects are you currently working on?

One of my biggest goals is to turn one of our formats into a worldwide franchise.

Our closest project to this is Blind Duets. It's going to air in Vietnam soon and I hope it will become a prime time hit all over the world afterwards.

Global Agency is a company which is famous for both formats and series. We will continue to offer even stronger projects to our customers by further strengthening our Acquisitions Department.