Banijay Germany Navigates Challenges with New Commissions Amid Tough Market Conditions

Banijay Germany is experiencing growth with recent major commissions like The Summit for Prime Video and Villa of Temptations for Sat.1 and Joyn. However, co-managing directors Arno Schneppenheim and Katrin Stefanović emphasize the difficulties producers face in today’s volatile market.

Challenges in German TV Production and Commissioning

Schneppenheim highlighted the struggle with commissioning caused by a turbulent advertising market and broader industry disruption. “It’s a very tough business in Germany,” he told Deadline. “Channels are sending mixed signals: ‘We’re not ordering,’ and ‘If we do, it has to be in lower volumes.’”

This challenging environment, also discussed at the recent Seriencamp, demands innovative solutions. “We need to find new ways of doing things,” Schneppenheim said. “We are exploring how to leverage AI, create more synergies, and develop multi-country reality show recordings.”

International Formats and Local Production

The Banijay Group’s international reach allows the German branch to adapt and produce successful global formats locally. The Summit, filmed in New Zealand and aired internationally including on ITV in the UK, exemplifies this strategy. Other popular titles include Temptation Island and its spin-off Temptation Island VIP, produced for RTL by Stefanović and Schneppenheim’s label.

In addition to reality and competition shows, Banijay Germany produces documentaries such as Rudi Völler – The Documentary, showcasing their diverse content portfolio.

Local Originals and Global Ambitions

Alongside adapted formats, Banijay Germany develops local shows intended for international distribution. Villa of Temptations, launching this month on Sat.1 and Joyn, features celebrities in a Thai villa where luxury must be earned from a €250,000 prize pot.

Stefanović described the format: “Celebrities expect a luxury vacation but find the villa empty. To enjoy luxury, they must pay, reducing the group’s prize money.”

Despite the historically low international sales of German unscripted formats, Schneppenheim remains optimistic. “People are buying our paper formats and beginning to believe in us, but it remains difficult to sell German formats globally. It’s been that way for 30 years.”

Cross-Border Cooperation for Efficiency

Schneppenheim stressed the importance of international collaboration in tough times. Working with Banijay sister company Screentime on The Summit proved beneficial: “It’s more cost-effective for clients, delivers high quality, and secures good margins. It’s a win-win.”