German procedurals keep carrying the export slate
ZDF Studios has opened MIPCOM with a volume number that tells its own story: more than 500 hours of German scripted content have been shopped to buyers across over 20 territories so far in 2026. The long-running crime franchise SOKO remains the anchor, landing with 12 broadcasters this year including Walter Presents in the UK, RTL Croatia, Talpa in the Netherlands and Canal+.
The latest SOKO season premiered on 2 October, which means buyers are not only licensing a deep library but also a living brand with new episodes in the market. That combination of depth and continuity is exactly what makes long-running procedurals attractive to linear schedules and catch-up services.
A two-speed slate strategy
ZDF Studios is not relying on procedurals alone. The distributor has also been placing younger-skewing scripted fare with global platforms. Vampire series Love Sucks has been licensed to Amazon, Apple, Disney Germany, Sky Switzerland and France Télévisions. At MIPCOM, the YA series High Valley is among its scripted highlights.
Look at the slate and the strategy is clear:
- Established volume: SOKO, Mountain Medic, Alpine Rescue and The Rosenheim Cops keep travelling to broadcasters.
- Younger appeal: Love Sucks and High Valley are aimed at streamers and platforms chasing younger demos.
- Romance library: Rosamunde Pilcher and Inga Lindström have sold to Mediaset Italy, Nova TV Bulgaria and TV3 Baltics.
What this signals for acquisition teams
For media planners, entertainment marketers and streaming executives, the ZDF Studios sales update is a practical reminder that catalogue strategy can run on two tracks. Long-running procedurals provide risk-managed hours, strong metadata and predictable repeat viewing; younger high-concept titles create marketing moments and demo reach.
“The international demand for German scripted content remains very strong,” said Tim Gerhartz, Chief Commercial Officer, ZDF Studios.
He said established brands such as Mountain Medic, Alpine Rescue, The Rosenheim Cops and the SOKO franchise continue to perform well internationally, while a new generation of German series is drawing younger audiences. For Indian OTT and TV buyers, this matters because such catalogues can fill non-prime slots, strengthen content depth and test international titles without heavy customisation.
For FAST and AVOD planners, procedurals like SOKO are especially appealing because they arrive with years of episodes, clear formats and built-in repeatability. For SVOD buyers, Love Sucks and High Valley offer the kind of title-level hook that can support a subscriber acquisition or win-back campaign.
The MIPCOM read is not that one type of German content is winning; it is that buyers are taking the reliable middle and the younger edge at the same time.
Source: Deadline
