US embassy cable - 04ISTANBUL1868

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 001868 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, SOCI, TU, Istanbul 
SUBJECT: THE NEW EU? ARRANGING MARRIAGES ON TURKISH 
TELEVISION 
 
 
1. (u) Summary: With Turkey on the verge of receiving a 
historic invitation on December 17 to begin membership 
negotiations, Europe is seized with the question of whether 
Turkey is sufficiently "European."  Religion and economic 
disparities aside, Turkish television provides a window into 
some key cultural differences.  Television fare here largely 
tracks with the offerings available in the U.S. and Europe -- 
romantic and dramatic serials, popstar competitions, 
melodramatic soap operas.  Over the past few years Turkey has 
also adopted the latest western television craze, reality 
television, but has given it a uniquely Turkish twist. End 
Summary. 
 
2. (u) According to Sinevizyon, the leading local producer of 
reality television programs, the trend started here with the 
wholesale adoption of the "Big Brother" format.  With only a 
few minor changes (installing private dressing rooms, 
single-sex bedrooms, and a few behavior rules), Sinevizyon 
has had five seasons of highly-rated programs.  The dating 
and marriage shows, however, have not translated into Turkish 
culture as easily.  Sinevizyon's Pelin Akat admitted that 
they bombed with a show based on supermodels and with another 
which tried to help couples resolve their interpersonal 
problems.  This season, however, Sinevizyon has scored their 
biggest hit, "Will You Be My Bride?," by creating a radically 
different format. 
 
3. (u) In "Bride," 5 mothers and 10 would-be daughters-in-law 
live in the same house (Big Brother-style -- very little 
privacy, on-screen 24 hours a day).  Each week the 
most-popular contestant (as determined by call-in votes) 
earns the right to vote off another.  Effectively, the 
mothers screen the daughters as potential brides for their 
sons, who live in a separate house and occasionally interact 
with the women, but have no real input in choosing their 
partners.  Instead of a prize check, contestants compete for 
100,000 euros in gold coins sitting on the coffee table of 
the studio house (Note: Such coins are traditional, 
ubiquitous wedding gifts in Turkey.  End Note). This is 
reality television Turkish-style. 
 
4. (u) The format has broad appeal in a society where a large 
percentage of couples are still matched by some form of 
arranged marriages or, at the very least, must seek parental 
approval for their fiances.  Turkish audiences particularly 
relate to the empowered, even domineering, mothers.  "Mom, 
why did you vote off Aysegul? I love her!," asked one son. 
His mother responded, "Love?! You don't know what love is! 
I'll tell you when you're in love."  Traditional Turkish 
society continues to put its sons on pedestals, leading 
audiences to sympathize with the girls who have trouble 
"measuring up."  One of the mothers offered her more modest 
underwear to a girl wearing a g-string; the same girl later 
saw her reputation in the house plummet briefly when she was 
falsely accused of having previously worked as a belly 
dancer. 
 
5. (u) One of the most popular and successful television 
programs in Turkey's history, "Bride" will air its season 
finale on December 18.  Having racked up 30 percent daily 
ratings and as high as 50 percent on the weekend call-in vote 
episodes, "Bride" is the most widely-watched and discussed 
reality television show in Turkey to date. It is also showing 
on Turkish affiliates in Europe.  Although Sinevizyon has no 
details on viewership in Europe, they claim that a previous 
(and less successful) program which also allowed viewers in 
Europe to call in their votes recorded more votes from the 
European audience than it did from the audience in Turkey. 
 
6. (u) Comment: "Bride's" depiction of the Turkish family, 
the dominant role that mothers play, and the influence they 
wield over their children seems at odds with the more modern 
values common in Europe today.  Akat told us, however, that 
two major European reality television producers may soon 
purchase the rights to market similar formats in Europe. 
Perhaps American and European mothers are just as influential 
(albeit more subtle) in family life as Turkish mothers.  In 
any case, the EU may not have to wait for Turkey's accession 
to begin absorbing some of its values. 
ARNETT