ARD.ZDF medienakademie

What ARD.ZDF medienakademie does

ARD.ZDF medienakademie, legally registered as ARD/ZDF-Medienakademie gemeinnützige GmbH (HRB 23705, Nürnberg), is the central training and continuing education institution for German public broadcasting. It is jointly owned by the ARD regional broadcasters (Landesrundfunkanstalten), ZDF, Deutschlandradio, and Deutsche Welle, and operates as a non-profit limited liability company. The academy serves primarily employees of these public broadcasters, with secondary customers including external companies, organizations, and private individuals seeking professional media training. Its offerings are organized across three business divisions: "Programm und Gestaltung" (journalistic training), "Medienproduktion und technische Infrastruktur" (media systems and IT), and "Überfachliches Angebot" (cross-functional skills). The company operates from two physical training centers in Nürnberg (Wallensteinstraße 121) and Hannover (Auf dem Emmerberge 23).

The academy's core products are open-enrollment seminars, customized in-house training delivered at client locations, and e-learning modules delivered through the CAMPUS learning management system. Technology infrastructure includes eFront (provided by CLICK&LEARN GmbH) for the CAMPUS LMS, TC Manager (provided by SoftDeCC GmbH) for booking and shop management, a ChatGPT-based chatbot via Chatbase for 24/7 website visitor support, AWS EMEA SARL (Luxembourg) for hosting, and Microsoft Teams for webinars. Specialized offerings include multi-week intensive AI camps (KI Herbstcamp/Sommercamp/Wintercamp) covering AI fundamentals, machine learning, data analysis, and coding for journalism, as well as an annual Förderpreis »Frauen + Medientechnologie« award program recognizing women's scientific work in media technology.

The business model is event-revenue-only as a non-profit. Open seminar pricing ranges from €500 (Online-Recherche) to €1,650 (Kreativ drehen), with the academy operating under VAT-exempt status (§ 4 Nr. 21 a bb UStG). Distribution combines self-serve online booking for external customers at shop.ard-zdf-medienakademie.de, internal HR/training department registration for public broadcaster employees, and a dedicated in-house sales team (+49 911 9619-444) for organizational training contracts. Marketing channels include the main website, email newsletter (via rapidmail), LinkedIn, and organic search. The firm reports 51–100 employees, operates only in Germany, and discloses no revenue figures.

Name

ARD.ZDF medienakademie

Legal name

ARD/ZDF-Medienakademie gemeinnützige GmbH

Website

https://ard-zdf-medienakademie.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ARD.ZDF medienakademie is a German non-profit training institution jointly owned by ARD, ZDF, Deutschlandradio, and Deutsche Welle that delivers seminars, e-learning, and customized in-house programs in journalism, media production, and broadcasting technology for public broadcaster employees and external organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Training and Continuing Education for Broadcasting

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses (MPACALAD)

Keywords

• Broadcast training
• Media education
• E-learning platform
• Corporate training
• AI media workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Nuremberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Open Enrollment Seminars: Fee-based seminars and training courses for individuals and organizations, offered in-person and online.
2. E-Learning Modules: Online learning courses delivered through CAMPUS platform.
3. Inhouse Training: Customized training programs delivered at client locations or online, priced based on content, trainer, and duration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ARD.ZDF medienakademie delivers continuing education and professional development for the German broadcasting sector, offering open seminars, online self-study via the CAMPUS platform, customized in-house training programs for media organizations, and specialized AI Camps. Its primary customer base is staff of German public broadcasters (ARD, ZDF, Deutschlandradio, Deutsche Welle), with additional offerings for external media professionals and organizations.

Product overview

ARD.ZDF medienakademie is a non-profit training and continuing education provider (gemeinnützige GmbH) jointly operated by ARD's regional broadcasters, ZDF, Deutschlandradio, and Deutsche Welle. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of seminar courses and e-learning programs across three main business divisions: 'Programm und Gestaltung' (journalistic training), 'Medienproduktion und technische Infrastruktur' (media systems and IT), and 'Überfachliches Angebot' (cross-functional skills). Their offerings span open seminars open to all participants, customized in-house training for organizations, and e-learning modules accessible through their CAMPUS learning management platform. Seminar topics include journalistic core competencies, digital strategy, video and audio production, media systems/IT, personal development, leadership, and change management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Open Seminars
• CAMPUS E-Learning Platform
• In-House Training Programs
• AI Camps

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ARD (Landesrundfunkanstalten)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARD is the primary shareholder of ARD/ZDF-Medienakademie. Regional broadcasters (BR, HR, MDR, SR, SWR, WDR, etc.) are represented in advisory boards and governance. Training programs aligned with broadcaster needs.
• ZDFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZDF is a shareholder and key stakeholder in ARD.ZDF medienakademie. Contributes to governance and ensures training aligns with public broadcasting standards.
• DeutschlandradiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeutschlandradio is a shareholder of the academy, participating in governance and utilizing training services.
• Deutsche WellecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeutsche Welle is a shareholder of the academy, participating in governance and utilizing training services.
• SoftDeCC GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides TC Manager - the central seminar booking and management system for ARD.ZDF medienakademie's online shop.
• CLICK&LEARN GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides eFront learning management platform branded as CAMPUS for ARD.ZDF medienakademie's E-Learning offerings.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite content hosting via AWS EMEA SARL in Luxembourg. Data processing governed by EU Standard Contractual Clauses.
• LinkedInminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLinkedIn integration for content sharing and company page presence. Includes LinkedIn Insight Tag for campaign analytics.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• MasterClass: Premium online learning platform with media production and creative content courses. Comparable as a premium-priced e-learning competitor in media production, filmmaking, and creative skills.
• Skillshare: Online learning community with courses in video production, journalism, and creative skills. Comparable as a subscription-based e-learning competitor reaching individual learners and creative professionals.

Broad incumbents

• Udemy Business: Enterprise online learning platform with extensive media/journalism/AI course catalogs. Comparable as a scalable e-learning alternative to in-house training that competes for the same corporate training budgets.
• LinkedIn Learning: Global online learning platform offering courses across media, technology, and business topics. Comparable as a scalable e-learning competitor for professional development, especially for journalists and media professionals seeking self-directed learning.

Direct peers

• RTL Akademie (RTL Deutschland): Internal training arm of RTL Deutschland commercial broadcaster, providing training in journalism, media production, and digital skills. Direct competitor in the German broadcaster training market, though commercial (vs. public) broadcaster focus.
• Deutsche Journalistenschule (DJS): Elite German journalism training institution offering practical journalist education. Directly comparable as a German broadcast/print journalism training provider with strong industry reputation; somewhat narrower scope (focused on journalism rather than full media production/IT).

Regional players

• Macromedia University of Applied Sciences: German private university with media, journalism, and management programs. Comparable as a professional media education provider in Germany, with overlapping curriculum in media production, digital media, and corporate communication.
• WDR Akademie (Westdeutscher Rundfunk): Internal training function of WDR, one of the ARD regional broadcasters and a shareholder of ARD.ZDF medienakademie. Comparable as a German public broadcaster training function, though typically narrower scope and tied to WDR's own employees.
• Hochschule der Medien (HdM) Stuttgart: German state university specializing in media production, journalism, and media technology degree programs. Comparable as a German-language institution providing formal media education and continuing education, though it focuses on degree-granting rather than corporate training.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ard-zdf-medienakademie
• Xx.com/ARDZDF_Akademie
• Facebookfacebook.com/ARDZDFmedienakademie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ARD.ZDF medienakademie