The distributor has concluded more than 40 agreements this year, driven by established franchises such as SOKO, Mountain Medic and Alpine Rescue, alongside contemporary dramas including Love Sucks.
On the first day of Mipcom, ZDF Studios reported strong international sales for German scripted content, with more than 40 agreements concluded across over 20 countries so far in 2026 and more than 500 hours of programming licensed. The results underline the continued international appeal of German TV brands, from long-running audience favorites and crime franchises to contemporary premium dramas.
SOKO once again proved to be one of ZDF Studios’ most successful international franchises, generating sales across numerous European territories to 12 broadcasters, including YLE in Finland, Walter Presents in the UK, Canal+ MOE, RTL in Croatia and Talpa in the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, ZDF’s popular feel-good drama brands continue to perform strongly internationally. Mountain Medic and Alpine Rescue secured deals with broadcasters such as TV2 in Denmark, Prima TV in the Czech Republic, TVS in Poland and Pop TV in Slovenia, with new seasons and license renewals underlining their enduring appeal.
At the same time, established romance brands Rosamunde Pilcher and Inga Lindström remained in demand among broadcasters including Mediaset in Italy, Nova TV in Bulgaria, Kanal 2 in Estonia and TV3 Baltics.
In Italy, RAI acquired a package of TV movies including titles from the popular A Summer In and Cruise into Cloud Nine brands, alongside a selection of standalone romantic dramas.
ZDF Studios has also succeeded in reaching younger audiences internationally. One example is the award-winning vampire series Love Sucks, which has been licensed to a range of platforms and broadcasters, including Amazon, Apple, Telekom, RTL Interactive and Disney in Germany, as well as Sky in Switzerland, TV Prima in the Czech Republic, RTBF in Belgium and France Télévisions.
The latest sales also demonstrate the continuing value of ZDF Studios’ extensive library. Classics such as The Black Forest Clinic continue to attract demand. In the German-speaking market, further agreements were concluded with ORF, ORF III, SRF, Swiss One and Sky Switzerland.
At the same time, ZDF Studios’ existing EST/TVOD framework agreement with Amazon in Germany and Austria, comprising 3,000 hours of programming, has been expanded to largely include Switzerland, with further territories in preparation.
“The international demand for German scripted content remains very strong. Established brands such as Mountain Medic, Alpine Rescue, The Rosenheim Cops and the SOKO franchise continue to perform exceptionally well internationally, demonstrating their reliability and enduring appeal with broad audiences. At the same time, we are seeing growing interest in a new generation of German series with a younger audience appeal. At Mipcom, we are building on both strengths – bringing proven, returning successes and fresh, younger-skewing series to audiences and buyers around the world,” said Tim Gerhartz, Chief Commercial Officer at ZDF Studios.
At Mipcom, ZDF Studios is showcasing new scripted highlights including High Valley (Die falsche Tochter), produced by Studio Zentral and LOAD Studios, and Shifters (Die Düsteren), from Network Movie and Studio Zentral.
Together, the new titles and the company’s latest international sales demonstrate both the enduring strength of established German drama brands and the creativity and ambition of today’s German production landscape.
The agreements span public and commercial broadcasters, pay TV operators, streaming platforms and digital partners, reinforcing ZDF Studios’ position as a leading international distributor of German-language programming and highlighting the continued relevance of German stories for audiences across cultures, generations and viewing habits.
