Scandal in the Television Industry: Why Talent Managers Face Hefty Fines

Turkish series

According to a report by Birsen Altuntaş, the antitrust authority has launched an investigation into actors’ agents and casting agencies due to messages exchanged in a WhatsApp group created in 2018.

The investigation was prompted by a decision made by television producers in 2018 to reduce managers’ commissions from 20% to 10%. In response, the Casting Agencies Association organized a WhatsApp group, where they collectively decided to boycott producers offering the 10% commission and to cease collaboration with them. Although this group later became inactive, the correspondence was deemed unlawful and served as the basis for the investigation. Some agencies, such as Artİstanbul, which receive commissions directly from their actors, were not implicated in the case.

Meanwhile, social media incorrectly speculated that the investigation pertained to favoritism in actor selection or the protection of actors’ rights. Many prominent actors, including Burcu Biricik, Afra Saraçoğlu, Melisa Sözen, and Deniz Işın, issued statements opposing monopolization in the industry and the infringement of their rights. However, the true cause of the investigation lies in the tensions over commissions between producers and managers that began six years ago.

If the ruling goes against the managers, they could face substantial fines.