Deutsche Welle/DW-Transtel

September 24, 2009 World Screen
Petra Schneider
Director, Distribution
 

What are some of the highlights of the DW programming schedule?

 

We will be introducing four new programs from DW-Transtel at MIPCOM this year that offer a little something for everyone. Profit At All Cost illustrates what globalization means—an increase in the volume and frequency of the exchange of people, goods, capital and ideas. Foresight looks at creativity in research and science and the positive and negative aspects of trying to anticipate the future. GLOBAL.ized sheds light on how local events can reverberate across the globe – and how global trends affect people’s lives. And last but not least, Morning OLI is a children’s show with daily adventures featuring Oli, the cheeky lion with the green mane, and his parrot friend Cap’n Kesselhut.
 
Another definite highlight this year is our series of programming surrounding the Berlin Wall. 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and we have developed a range of programs that focus on what life was like in this era. For example, Walled In offers a creative animation that recreates the no-man’s land that existed between East and West Berlin.
 
In addition, our classic programs like Made in Germany, European Journal and Drive It! deliver something for every type of viewer. Our best-selling program last year was the lifestyle series euromaxx, which covers everything from fashion and design to gourmet food and music.
 
 

What are some of the strongest territories for the channel currently?

 

On a global scale, we have had great results throughout Latin America as well as Southeast Asia. We have also had strong results in Western and Central Europe, but the financial crisis has definitely left its mark on sales there.
 
 

What are your primary growth areas for this year?

 

We can see the potential for expansion in markets across the board—especially when it comes to new media and platforms like IPTV. We will continue to develop our programming palette and ensure that our content can be tailored to different platforms on the Internet and for mobile devices. Over the past few years, we have also worked to create tailored packages for different regions and we will continue to do so in the future.
 
 

What are your goals and expectations MIPCOM?

Deutsche Welle has been known for its quality news and infotainment for years. We have had a range of successful co-productions in the past and are looking to reach out to even more partners in the future. This includes not only Europe, but also regions like Asia where we would like to expand our palette to include programming with a focus on local issues.