ZDF Studios Stays Agile & Future-Ready

Between shifting viewing behaviors, macroeconomic headwinds, and changes in platforms’ content needs, the media business has presented some challenges in the past year, and ZDF Studios has been facing them head-on, says Dr. Markus Schäfer, president and CEO.

“Our priorities have centered around three key areas: investing in high-quality and diverse storytelling, accelerating digital transformation and streamlining our three business units—production, distribution, and solutions and services—across the entire ZDF Studios group, strengthening our international partnerships. We’ve focused on expanding our global distribution footprint while supporting innovative formats that resonate across markets. At the same time, we’re committed to fostering sustainable production practices and leveraging technology to streamline workflows and enhance content accessibility. These priorities help us stay agile and future-ready in a rapidly changing industry.”

ZDF Studios lands in Cannes with a World Premiere Screening for Ku’damm 77, part of a scripted lineup that “reflects both creative ambition and international appeal,” Schäfer says. The latest chapter in the acclaimed Ku’damm saga will have its World Premiere Screening on October 14. The UFA Fiction series for ZDF is created by Annette Hess, who serves as showrunner, with Maurice Hübner directing.

“The new installment continues the story of the Schöllack family in 1977 Berlin—a city full of contrasts, transformation and cultural tension. With its emotional depth and powerful female perspectives, Ku’damm 77 builds on the success of its predecessors, which aired in over 30 countries and earned an International Emmy nomination.”

The Puzzle Lady, a crime series starring BAFTA winner Phyllis Logan and based on the best-selling novels by Parnell Hall, is also a standout highlight, “blending mystery and wit in a charming British setting.” Top End Bub, meanwhile, building on the success of Top End Wedding, “is a heartwarming romantic dramedy from Australia that explores themes of family, identity, and cultural responsibility. Together, these titles showcase the diversity and emotional richness of our scripted portfolio, and we look forward to sharing them with global audiences.”

Strong production values also top the unscripted lineup, where Schäfer says ZDF Studios is seeing international demand for nature documentaries. “A great example is the upcoming series Indonesia’s Volcanic Islands from Doclights, which we’re very excited about. At the same time, we’re constantly on the lookout for well-crafted science programming. Science remains a genre with huge potential, especially when it combines strong storytelling with visual innovation and relevance to global audiences.”

Beyond its hallmark wildlife, science and history properties, ZDF Studios has been building up a presence in the unscripted formats space. “Expanding into formats has been an exciting and strategic move for ZDF Studios,” Schäfer says. “We see this segment as a key growth area, not only creatively but also commercially. With flagship titles like Cash or Trash and Wanna Bet?, we’ve already proven the international appeal of our formats. Wanna Bet?, for example, continues to thrive globally—most recently with a new season airing in the U.K. under the title You Bet on Tour. Its unique blend of talk, game and variety elements, combined with live performance and celebrity engagement, makes it a timeless entertainment concept.”

ZDF Studios has also been investing in factual formats via its CONTENT LADEN business. “Shows like Magic Moves with the famous magicians the Ehrlich Brothers—which combines science, therapy and magic to support children with hemiparesis—and Song Trip, a music-driven cultural journey featuring international artists, reflect our commitment to meaningful storytelling with global resonance. We’re especially proud that Magic Moves was honored with the German Entertainment Award and won first place for best format at the EBU’s Formats Forum 2025, recognizing its innovative concept and social impact.”

Across the formats segment, “we aim to deliver high-quality, emotionally engaging and culturally diverse content that travels well,” says Schäfer. “By combining strong IP with innovative production and international collaboration, we’re building a format portfolio that’s both distinctive and scalable.”

Over at the ZDF Studios Junior segment, Schäfer acknowledges the particular challenges in the kids’ business, noticeably with a contraction in demand from the U.S. “Despite this, ZDF Studios Junior continues to operate from a solid market position, thanks to our extensive rights portfolio and consistently high-quality programming. We benefit from a broad and reliable global client base, which allows us to maintain business continuity even in turbulent times.”

Within kids, ZDF Studios is prioritizing the expansion of its B2C activities, Schäfer says. “With access to over 25,000 episodes in up to 20 languages, we’re well-positioned to scale quickly across platforms. Currently, we operate around 100 kids’ channels on all major platforms—including our successful H2O channel on YouTube. We’re also steadily growing our presence in the FAST space: last year, we launched the H2O & Friends channel in five territories on Samsung, and we’re preparing to roll out a new retro-themed channel in the coming weeks. Additionally, we’re partnering with a strong local player in Poland to launch an AVOD channel tailored to the national market. These initiatives reflect our commitment to innovation, accessibility, and long-term audience engagement.”

B2C is a priority across the organization, with a restructure centralizing these activities under Linette Zaulich. “This division has become a vital strategic pillar. Beyond being an additional revenue stream, our B2C activities play a key role in strengthening our brands across diverse audiences. They also provide us with direct feedback on what viewers truly want and need—which is invaluable in today’s fast-evolving media landscape. With over half the global population primarily reachable via digital platforms, diversifying our strategy is essential to remain relevant, responsive and successful.”

Being relevant and responsive is crucial in these rapidly changing times, as ZDF Studios positions itself for the future.

“MIPCOM 2025 marks an exciting milestone for us, as it’s the first market appearance for Tim Gerhartz, our new chief commercial officer,” Schäfer says. “Under his leadership, ZDF Studios will further strengthen its role as a leading European co-production partner and international program provider. A key focus will be on expanding the co-production and licensing business, while intensifying collaboration between our distribution and production units within the ZDF Studios Group.”

Schäfer adds: “Looking ahead to 2026, our overarching goal is to harness the full potential of our integrated structure—production, distribution, and solutions and services—to deliver compelling content and innovative services. Our guiding principle, ‘inspire, create, produce and distribute,’ reflects our commitment to creating attractive program offerings for our partners and audiences worldwide. We approach this mission with great enthusiasm and passion every day, and we see the distribution unit as a central driver in achieving these ambitions.”