What Warner Bros. International Television Production Deutschland GmbH does

Warner Bros. International Television Production Deutschland GmbH (WBITVP Germany) is a television production company headquartered at Niehler Str. 104, 50733 Cologne, Germany, and operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. The company develops and produces TV shows, reality TV formats, docutainment, comedy shows, series and TV movies for public broadcasters (ZDF, ARD/WDR), private broadcasters (RTL, VOX) and VOD/SVOD platforms (RTL+, HBO Max, Netflix) across Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Headcount stands at 154 employees plus 16 apprentices across two dual-education training programmes (Mediengestalter/in Bild und Ton and Kaufmann/Kauffrau für audiovisuelle Medien). The company is led by Managing Directors René Jamm and William Alexander Ogilvie and is supervised by Landesanstalt für Medien NRW under § 5 Abs. 1 Nr. 8 TMG.

The portfolio spans two content categories. Fiction Programmes include the long-running ZDF Saturday primetime crime series Wilsberg (since 1995, averaging ~8 million viewers), Marie Brand (since 2008, regularly exceeding 20% market share), Friesland (since 2014, 6 million+ average viewers), the 2023 thriller Zwei Seiten des Abgrunds (RTL+ / Warner TV Series / HBO Max) and TV movies such as Die Kinder von Windermere (ZDF / BBC co-production, Prix Europa 2020). Non-Fiction Programmes include reality franchises for RTL/VOX (Der Bachelor, Die Bachelorette, Golden Bachelor, First Dates, First Dates Hotel, Bares für Rares, Reality Queens), documentary series (Born for this - mehr als Fußball, Bayer Leverkusen - A Dream comes true, Star Kitchen mit Tim Raue, Waldis Welt) and competition formats (Glow Up).

The business model is B2B commissioned content supply. Revenue derives from professional-services production fees under co-production or work-for-hire arrangements with broadcasters and streaming platforms, plus format licensing royalties (e.g., Bauer, ledig, sucht... licensed to Swiss 3+). Pricing is negotiated project-by-project and is not publicly disclosed. As part of the WBITVP international network operating across 14 countries in Europe, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand, the company leverages Warner Bros. Discovery's global format library and production expertise while maintaining Cologne-based editorial control over the DACH market.

Name

Warner Bros. International Television Production Deutschland GmbH

Legal name

Warner Bros. International Television Production Deutschland GmbH

Website

https://wbitvpgermany.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Warner Bros. International Television Production Deutschland GmbH is a Cologne-based, wholly-owned Warner Bros. Discovery subsidiary producing fiction series, reality formats, docutainment and documentaries for German-speaking public and private broadcasters (ZDF, ARD, RTL/VOX) and streaming platforms (RTL+, HBO Max, Netflix).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

Scripted TV Series Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Business, Politics & Current Affairs Documentaries (MPADADAJ), Co-Production & Distribution Partnerships (Pre-Sales, Output Deals) (MPABANAI)

Keywords

• Television production services
• Reality TV formats
• Fiction series production
• Format licensing
• Broadcast content commissioning

Headquarters

HQ city

Cologne

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. TV Production Services: Producing commissioned TV shows, reality formats, docutainment, comedy shows, series, and TV movies for broadcasters and streaming platforms under co-production or work-for-hire arrangements
2. Format Licensing: Licensing established TV formats internationally, such as 'The Farmer Wants a Wife' (Bauer, ledig, sucht...) adapted for Swiss broadcaster 3+

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) Deutschland GmbH develops and produces TV shows, reality TV formats, docutainment, comedy shows, series, and TV movies for public broadcasters (ZDF, ARD), private broadcasters (RTL, VOX), and VOD/SVOD platforms (RTL+, HBO Max, Netflix) in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The company delivers end-to-end TV production from concept development through post-production, with a portfolio spanning both long-running fiction crime series and non-fiction entertainment formats.

Product overview

Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) Deutschland GmbH is a television production company that develops and produces TV shows, reality TV formats, docutainment, comedy shows, series and TV movies for public broadcasters, private stations, VOD and SVOD platforms in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The company's portfolio spans two main content categories: Fiction Programmes (including crime series like Wilsberg, Marie Brand, Friesland, Zwei Seiten des Abgrunds; comedies; dramas; and TV movies) and Non-Fiction Programmes (including reality dating formats like Der Bachelor, Die Bachelorette, Golden Bachelor, First Dates; game shows like Bares für Rares; documentary series like Born for this, Star Kitchen mit Tim Raue, Bayer Leverkusen documentary; and entertainment formats). The company also produces casting and participation opportunities for viewers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fiction Programmes Dramas, crime series, comedies, and TV movies produced for German and international broadcasters including ZDF, RTL+, and streaming platforms such as HBO Max.
• Non-Fiction Programmes Reality TV formats, dating shows, game shows, talk shows, and documentary programming produced for German-speaking markets.
• Bares für Rares Germany's largest antique/rummage show where private sellers have rare finds valued by experts and can sell to dealers in a bargaining format. Includes XXL prime time editions and spin-offs; produced for ZDF.
• Der Bachelor Dating reality show where a single bachelor selects from over 20 women through rose ceremonies, romantic dates, and elimination rounds; produced for RTL.
• Die Bachelorette Dating reality show where a bachelorette chooses from over 20 single men through dates and rose ceremonies; produced for RTL.
• First Dates Dating documentary where singles meet for dinner at a restaurant hosted by Roland Trettl, with carefully matched pairs based on preferences; produced for VOX.
• First Dates Hotel Holiday dating show where singles check into a hotel for a love holiday with blind dates hosted by Roland Trettl; produced for VOX.
• Wilsberg

Quantifiable outcome

• Wilsberg achieves 8M+ average viewers per episode
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ZDFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Broadcast partner for 'Born for this - mehr als Fußball' Season 2 and numerous other productions including 'Die Kinder von Windermere' (co-production), fiction series 'Wilsberg', 'Marie Brand', 'Friesland', and docutainment 'Star Kitchen mit Tim Raue'. One of the most important broadcaster relationships.
• RTL+/RTL DeutschlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Key streaming and broadcast client for productions including 'Zwei Seiten des Abgrunds' (with Warner TV Series and HBO Max), reality shows 'Der Bachelor', 'Die Bachelorette', 'Bachelor in Paradise', and dating formats 'First Dates', 'First Dates Hotel'.
• HBO MaxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Streaming platform partner for 'Zwei Seiten des Abgrunds' launch, simultaneously with RTL+ and Warner TV Series.
• ARDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Broadcast partner for 'Born for this - mehr als Fußball' Season 1, which was broadcast on ARD as well as Sky, Magenta TV and Discovery. ARD is a key public broadcaster client.
• SkycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Broadcast partner for 'Born for this - mehr als Fußball' Season 1 alongside ARD and other platforms.
• BBCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Co-production partner with ZDF for 'Die Kinder von Windermere'. The drama was broadcast simultaneously on ZDF and BBC in early 2020.
• Georg-Simon-Ohm-BerufskollegminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVocational school partnership for dual education system. Apprentices training as Mediengestalter/in (media designer for image and sound) attend this school in Cologne as part of their dual training programme.
• Joseph-DuMont-Berufskolleg Köln-BilderstöckchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVocational school partnership for dual education system. Apprentices training as Kaufmann/Kauffrau für audiovisuelle Medien (business administration for audiovisual media) attend this school during their dual training programme.
• 3+ (Switzerland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss commercial broadcaster for 'Bauer, ledig, sucht...' (The Farmer Wants a Wife) - Swiss adaptation of the international hit format. Key international market partner.
• Film- und Medienstiftung NRWminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm and media funding body of North Rhine-Westphalia. Provided talent development partnership and funding that doubled the production budget for 'Mermaids to Lovers' project.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Wiedemann & Berg Film: Independent German production house producing high-quality scripted series and films for German broadcasters and streamers (including Netflix originals); competes for premium ZDF/Sky commissions in the same fiction space as WBITVP Germany.
• Bavaria Film: Major German film and TV production group with deep relationships to public broadcasters (ZDF, ARD); produces scripted series, TV movies, and entertainment formats comparable in scope and client mix to WBITVP Germany's fiction slate.
• Polyphon Film- und Fernsehgesellschaft: Long-established German TV production company producing scripted series, TV movies, and entertainment formats across major German broadcasters; comparable in size, portfolio mix, and client base to WBITVP Germany.
• Zeitsprung Pictures: German scripted TV production company specializing in event television and TV movies for public broadcasters (ZDF, ARD), directly competing with WBITVP Germany's prime-time TV movie and mini-series slate.
• UFA (Bertelsmann/RTL Group): Germany's largest TV production company and a division of RTL Group/Bertelsmann; produces scripted series, reality, and entertainment formats for RTL, VOX, and other broadcasters — directly competing for the same commissioning slots that anchor WBITVP Germany's revenue.
• Studio Hamburg Production Group: Northern Germany's leading TV and film production company, producing scripted crime series, documentaries, and entertainment for ARD/NDR and other public broadcasters — competes directly in the same German-language crime and entertainment genre space as WBITVP.
• Constantin Film: Leading German production and distribution company producing theatrical films, TV movies, and series for German broadcasters and streamers; competes with WBITVP Germany for ZDF/ARD commissions and co-production opportunities.
• ITV Studios Germany (ITVS): German arm of ITV Studios producing scripted and non-scripted TV for major broadcasters including RTL; a direct competitor in the international studio category, operating under similar conglomerate-backed production model.
• Fremantle Germany: RTL Group-backed international production powerhouse with significant German operations producing entertainment, drama, and documentary for German broadcasters; competes head-to-head with WBITVP Germany for RTL/VOX commissions and global format distribution.
• Banijay Germany (Endor Productions / Brainpool): German operations of global production giant Banijay Group producing entertainment, reality, and scripted TV for major German broadcasters — including the rival 'Bachelor' franchise owners; directly competes with WBITVP Germany's reality and entertainment slate.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@warnerbrostvde
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/warner-bros-international-television-production-deutschland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

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 Warner Bros. International Television Production Deutschland GmbH