Aşk is Amor: The Turkish Drama Goes to America

ABSTRACT: Once upon a time, the primetime grids of Latin American countries were populated only by telenovelas, a genre that was watched in over 130 countries around the world. At that time, distributors of Turkish content would attend television global markets and sell nothing.  Those times are gone. Today, Turkish dramas (dizis) have taken the place of telenovelas in many countries; even in Latin America, the birthplace of telenovelas.  Dizi audiences in the Americas are comprised of mostly women who are over 35 years old. Their reception of Turkish dramas is mediated by their previous and/or current consumption of telenovelas. As these viewers become fans, they engage in activities such as watching episodes live, fan subbing, administration of webpages and social media accounts that promote Turkish dizis and actors, and fundraising for social causes to honor Turkish actors they admire. Importantly, these fans become Turkish culture consumers, explainers and spreaders.