TRT

Leading digital transformation for Turkey’s largest media company

Overview

As Head of Product and R&D at Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), Derrick’s leadership focused on transforming the organization from a traditional broadcaster into a technology-forward, multi-platform global news brand. With a portfolio spanning 17 radio stations, 13 TV channels, and digital properties in over 40 languages, a unified product strategy was developed and executed to embrace emerging technologies and extend TRT’s reach across web, mobile, smart TVs, voice platforms, and immersive media.

Building a Global Product Foundation

At the heart of the transformation was the development of a custom global content management system (CMS), built entirely in-house to support multilingual content creation and cross-platform publishing. The CMS became the editorial command center for TRT’s domestic and international teams, streamlining workflows and enabling synchronized output across TV, radio, and digital properties.

Simultaneously, redesigned web and mobile platforms were launched to modernize TRT’s digital presence. These were optimized for short-session news consumption over mobile data and long-form video streaming on Wi-Fi, ensuring accessibility and performance in both high- and low-bandwidth environments.

Expansion into OTT and Connected Devices

To bring TRT content into the living room, native and HTML5 apps were launched across Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Opera TV. This expanded TRT’s global footprint to more than 300 smart TV platforms, positioning the network as a competitive, on-demand content provider in the OTT space.

Voice-First Innovation

TRT became one of the first international broadcasters to launch multilingual voice apps on Amazon Alexa and Google Home. These included the TRT News Quiz, the interactive adventure Tough Choices, and the Daily News Brief—delivering real-time headlines through voice commands. These experiences reached over 200,000 monthly active users and were featured by Google as built-in intents, setting a new benchmark for voice-native journalism.

Pioneering R&D and Immersive Storytelling

Innovation extended into experimental formats through TRT’s dedicated R&D function. Projects included Bloom, a conceptual app exploring AI-driven editorial design, and Blackbox VR, a fully immersive narrative about a Syrian refugee child—TRT’s first virtual reality experience. These initiatives demonstrated a willingness to push beyond conventional media formats and earned multiple nominations at the Online Media Awards in London.

Lasting Impact

Through the implementation of scalable infrastructure, cross-platform product launches, and pioneering media formats, TRT’s digital transformation redefined the role of a public broadcaster. These efforts extended the brand’s relevance globally and positioned TRT World as a digitally native, multilingual media organization. Recognition for this work included multiple industry awards and a nomination for Technology Leader of the Year—underscoring the strategic and innovative leadership behind the transformation.