Financial Times: "Viewers fall for soap’s Turkish delight"

By Roula Khalaf
Published: August 29 2008 18:58 | Last updated: August 29 2008 18:58
Millions of viewers will be glued to their television screens on Saturday night for the double episode finale of a soap opera that promises to be the highest rated drama on Arab television.

Its actors speak Syrian Arabic, and look like Arabs from the Levant, but Noor is a Turkish import, part of a genre of dubbed series that has become all the rage in many parts of the Middle East this year.

Arabs usually look at Turkey, traditionally staunchly secular and pro-western, from a distance, finding little in common with their Muslim neighbour. But soap operas such as Noor have stirred their curiosity like never before, sending droves of Arabs, particularly Saudis, on holiday to Turkey.

Full Article: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/15fe1b86-75f0-11dd-99ce-0000779fd18c.html

See Also: http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/07/31/1236952.aspx