Netflix launches in Türkiye as it expands to over 130 countries at once

In early January 2016, Netflix announced that its streaming service was becoming available in more than 130 additional countries at the same time. The announcement was made by chief executive Reed Hastings at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Türkiye was among the new markets, which meant viewers there could subscribe without workarounds for the first time.

Until then, the company had operated mainly in North America, parts of Europe and Latin America. The move turned Netflix into a near-global service in a single step, with only a few markets, such as China, left out.

For Türkiye, the launch opened a large and young audience to international series and films, and it put the platform in competition with local streaming services and traditional television. Over the following years Netflix also began commissioning and distributing Turkish productions, which helped Turkish actors and music reach viewers abroad. That local presence is the background to the platform's later anniversary events in the country.