German Scripted Content Secures 500 Hours Across 20 Countries
ZDF Studios reported more than 40 international agreements for German scripted content across over 20 countries on the first day of MIPCOM, according to zdf-studios.com. The deals account for a total volume exceeding 500 hours of licensed programming for 2026. This performance highlights the global reach of German television brands, spanning established crime franchises and contemporary premium dramas.
Crime Franchises and Feel-Good Dramas Drive European Sales
Established crime and romance brands anchored the distributor’s catalog performance. Data from zdf-studios.com and broadcastnow.co.uk shows that 12 television networks across European regions bought the long-running procedural SOKO, with buyers including Talpa in the Netherlands, YLE in Finland, Walter Presents in the UK, RTL in Croatia, and Canal+ MOE. Meanwhile, feel-good drama brands Mountain Medic and Alpine Rescue landed deals with TV2 in Denmark, Prima TV in the Czech Republic, TVS in Poland, and Pop TV in Slovenia.
Traditional romance properties also maintained steady demand. Mediaset in Italy, Nova TV in Bulgaria, Kanal 2 in Estonia, and TV3 Baltics acquired the Rosamunde Pilcher and Inga Lindström series. Additionally, Italy’s RAI picked up a package of TV movies featuring titles from the A Summer In and Cruise into Cloud Nine brands alongside standalone romantic dramas.
Younger Audiences Embrace Vampire Drama Love Sucks
ZDF Studios expanded its footprint among younger demographics with the award-winning vampire series Love Sucks. The series secured licenses with Amazon, Apple, Telekom, RTL Interactive, and Disney in Germany, alongside Sky Switzerland, TV Prima in the Czech Republic, RTBF in Belgium, and France Télévisions, as reported by zdf-studios.com and broadcastnow.co.uk.
Library titles continued to draw buyers, highlighted by ongoing demand for classical series such as The Black Forest Clinic. In German-speaking territories, additional agreements closed with ORF, ORF III, SRF, Swiss One, and Sky Switzerland. Furthermore, an existing electronic sell-through and video-on-demand framework agreement with Amazon covering 3,000 hours of programming in Germany and Austria expanded into Switzerland.
Tim Gerhartz Outlines Strategy for Returning and Fresh Series
The international demand for German scripted content remains very strong,
said Tim Gerhartz, Chief Commercial Officer at ZDF Studios, pointing to established titles like The Rosenheim Cops alongside newer youth-skewing properties. During the MIPCOM event, upcoming scripted titles put on display by ZDF Studios featured High Valley (Die falsche Tochter)—a co-production from Studio Zentral and LOAD Studios—as well as Shifters (Die Düsteren), which comes courtesy of Network Movie and Studio Zentral.
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