Merzigo’s Yigit Dogan Celik Talks Medyapim Partnership

Yigit Dogan Celik, chairman of the technology and monetization company Merzigo, tells World Screen Newsflash about the partnership with Turkish producing powerhouse Medyapim and their joint commitment to providing diverse programming to audiences around the world.

WS: How did the partnership with Medyapim come about?
DOGAN CELIK: Medyapim is one of the strongest and best production companies in Turkey and globally. They’re predominant in international sales across LatAm, MENA and many other regions. Merzigo is a global video monetization company. We are monetizing video content such as drama, reality and movies around the world. This partnership was in negotiation for more than two years; it took that long. But in the end, we met in the middle, at very good figures, and we signed a four-year deal.

WS: What is it about Merzigo that you feel made Medyapim trust your expertise?
DOGAN CELIK: There are many factors: income is one of the key figures; rights protection is another. Medyapim has been in the market for more than 30 years; they have a big archive, and this archive has to be run and create sustainable revenues. Helping to create sustainable income is a key business model of ours. Medyapim chose this model. These next four years will be very good for both parties, and I think we’ll probably extend four more years.

WS: What would you like to accomplish in the upcoming four years?
DOGAN CELIK: In the upcoming four years, we are planning to maximize their income, create larger audiences, create more channels and have more engagement with the audience and their existing projects. These areas will continue to grow and expand.

WS: What do you want companies like Medyapim to know about why they, too, should be working with Merzigo?
DOGAN CELIK: [We can help generate] sustainable income for a long period from their archive. Many producers and media studios have thousands of hours of content, and utilization is the key asset here. Subtitling, dubbing and localization are key. Merzigo is exactly meant for this model.