ZDF Studios to launch FAST channel in Latin America
Service with Spanish-language drama programmes will be available Q2 2024
MIPCOM Cannes, October 16th, 2023
ZDF Studios announced today its partnership with international media development company Castalia Communications to develop a FAST service for the LatAm region. The venture will make quality programming from the ZDF Studios catalogue available to Spanish-speaking end-users in Latin America and the Hispanic market in the US. The launch of the first offering is scheduled for Q2 2024 and will focus on a selection of drama programming that will be available to viewers in Spanish.
Luis Torres-Bohl, Founder and CEO of Castalia Communications, said, "We are delighted to be working with one of Europe's leading producers and distributors of television content. We are confident that our groundbreaking media project will be very successful throughout Latin America and with Spanish-speaking audiences in the US. We are honoured to be part of this project that will bring stories of contemporary "Goethes and Schillers" that will be very popular with viewers across the region."
Susanne Frank, Director Drama at ZDF Studios, negotiated the deal: "We are very excited about this opportunity to work with an established partner and expert in this subject matter to bring our great catalogue of programming to an interested audience in the Americas. We are convinced that this way we will be able to open up completely new, interested target groups in the Spanish-speaking market."
Latin America is one of the fastest growing markets for Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) channels. The collaboration aims to satisfy this audience's appetite for more entertainment programming by offering both new and classic content in their language at no cost. Consumption of streaming OTT services has increased dramatically during and after the pandemic due to technological advances in smartphones, tablets and mobile TV. According to a report by Global Industry Analysts Inc, the market is expected to grow by over US$217 billion by 2026.
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About ZDF Studios
ZDF Studios is a commercial subsidiary of ZDF, one of the largest TV broadcasters in Europe. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Mainz, Germany, the ZDF Studios Group operates more than 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliates in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom spanning TV production, distribution and services. The parent company, ZDF Studios, is responsible for global programme distribution, realisation of international co-productions, acquisition of licences and merchandising of successful programme brands under its own name, for ZDF and third parties. ZDF Studios has the largest German-language programme inventory in the world and a constantly growing range of international productions, consisting of series and mini-series, television films, documentaries and children's programmes.
The companies of the ZDF Studios Group cover the entire value chain from the development of scripted and unscripted TV content to production, marketing and monetizing, including TV and streaming licences as well as merchandising and online rights. The positioning of ZDF Studios as an integrated media company enables the development of innovative, outstanding and high-quality programmes and makes the Group an attractive workplace for German and international talent to flourish in a very inspiring and creative environment.
About Castalia Communications
Castalia Communications is an international media business development company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Since 1991, Castalia has served as a communications catalyst, consistently providing sales and marketing representation or resources for international television networks and acting as an independent distributor of television and web-based content and technology. With an excellent reputation and a broad network of contacts in Latin America, the United States and Canada, the company also continues several long-term collaborations in European and Asian markets. In 2020, Castalia created and launched Europa+, a streaming service offering high quality content from Europe, subtitled in Spanish and Portuguese for audiences in the Latin American region. For additional information, call +001 (770) 396-7850 or visit www.castaliacommunications.com
Media Contacts:
For ZDF Studios
Christine Denilauler (VP Marketing and Corporate Communications), ZDF Studios GmbH, Erich-Dombrowski-Str. 1, 55127 Mainz/Germany, Tel.: +49 6131-9911130, e-mail: christine.denilauler@zdf-studios.com, www.zdf-studios.com
For Castalia
Betti Ortega-Roderick, SVP Communications, betti@castaliacom.com, +1 201-207-7823