Domestic rivals to share content as broadcasters battle ‘increasingly international platform landscape’
German public broadcaster ZDF has agreed a far-reaching content deal with domestic commercial rival ProSiebenSat.1.
The pact will see ZDF’s on demand content being integrated into ProSieben streamer Joyn from Q4, providing users with free access without advertising.
The move expands an existing relationship between the two German giants - ZDF’s live channels were already available via Joyn - but the companies said the latest pact would support “a diverse and future-proof media landscape”.
News, documentaries, cultural, factual and entertainment shows will all become available, but ZDF retains editorial control and its own streaming portal will remain the PSB’s “central digital home”.
The agreement follows the latest amendment to Germany’s State Media Treaty (aka Medienstaatsvertrag), which was ratified in December last year. As part of changes, the Treaty required closer cooperation between domestic public broadcasters.
It also comes after last year’s legal dispute between ZDF and ProSieben, which broke out after the latter brought content from ZDF and fellow public broadcaster ARD onto its platform without an agreement.
ProSiebenSat.1 claimed the move was allowed because of European law, but German courts subsequently ruled in favour of ZDF and ARD, paving the way for the current negotiated deal.
Florian Kumb, director audience at ZDF, said: “Our mission is to reach as many people as possible with our high-quality content.
“By making ZDF streaming content available on Joyn in the future, we’re strengthening the visibility of public broadcasting journalism in the digital space.”
“In an increasingly international platform landscape, ZDF and ProSiebenSat.1 are deliberately focusing on a partnership that strengthens access to journalistic and cultural content ‘Made in Germany’,” the broadcasters added.
Nicole Agudo Berbel, ProSieben’s chief distribution & partnerships officer, continued: “This partnership demonstrates how public and private media can work together to find innovative responses to digital competition.
“In doing so, we’re sending a strong, forward-looking signal for the dual system and the media industry as a whole.”
Domestic broadcasters across Europe are increasingly looking to partner up to battle the growing reach of US-based streamers, with the UK’s BBC and Channel 4 among those in talks over sharing content.
Streamers have also struck deals with domestic broadcasters, most notably in France where TF1’s shows and channels have been embedded into Netflix. Disney has also struck numerous bespoke agreements across the continent, including a partnership with ZDF that sees thousands of hours of its shows appearing on a branded section of the US-based streamer.
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