ProSiebenSat.1 and Discovery join forces to build the leading German OTT platform by integrating their existing streaming venture 7TV, video-on-demand service maxdome and Eurosport Player in one place.
Resembling Hulu set up by major broadcasters in the US, RTL, ARD and ZDF are invited to join the platform scheduled to launch in the first half of 2019.
As a consequence of the joint platform, 7TV, maxdome and Eurosport Player will no longer be offered as individual stand-alone services, a ProSiebenSat.1 spokeswoman confirmed to Broadband TV News.
The yet unnamed platform will comprise live-streams, a media library with local content as well as Hollywood productions and sports content. It will feature a free, advertising-funded service, a subscription-based advertising-free service and premium packages offering exclusive sports and movies.
ProSiebenSat.1 and Discovery aim to create bespoke content and rapidly scale up and invest into the platform run by a team of more than 200 professionals.
Whether the approach to set up a central streaming platform for German broadcasters will receive regulatory approval, is uncertain, though, as previous attempts by RTL and ProSiebenSat.1 (project Amazonas) as well as ARD and ZDF (project Germany’s Gold) were blocked by the Federal Cartel Office.
“All of us want to watch the entertainment we love whenever, wherever and on any device – so I am really excited that ProSiebenSat.1 and Discovery are joining forces to create the number one German streaming platform – our aim is 10 million users in the first two years and we are putting very significant resources and investment with urgency into this effort,” said Max Conze, CEO of ProSiebenSat.1. “I am inviting RTL and ARD/ZDF to join us, so we can have one German champion. This is just the start of the journey, now we roll up our sleeves.”
David Zaslav, President and CEO of Discovery, said: “This is an exciting next step in our strategy of reaching more viewers on more screens as the global leader in real life entertainment and international sports. Together with ProSiebenSat.1, we are building a world class streaming service to nourish superfans in one of our most important international markets while also creating a new model for the future for viewers to enjoy their favourite content.”
The joint venture team in place is led by Alexandar Vassilev, former Google and YouTube executive. Conze will head the board of the joint venture. Jean Briac Perrette, President and CEO of Discovery Networks International, will represent Discovery on the board.
Since October 2017, ProSiebenSat.1 and Discovery Communications have been offering joint content on 7TV, both as live-streams and through media libraries featuring content from their TV channels Sat.1, ProSieben, kabel eins, sixx, ProSieben Maxx, Sat.1 Gold, kabel eins doku, DMAX, TLC and Eurosport.
WELT (formerly N24), N24 Doku and Sport1 have recently committed their content to the platform and will go live soon.