ZDFE to Mark 20th Anniversary at MIPTV

MAINZ: ZDF Enterprises is commemorating its 20th anniversary by showcasing a slate of new premium programs at MIPTV, which will also mark the official launch of its new corporate structure.

The company previously announced a new corporate structure that divided the business into genre-specific units. MIPTV will be the first time that the company is exhibiting with its new structure.

From ZDFE.junior, the new series Mako Mermaids, from Jonathan M. Shiff (H20: Just Add Water), is a highlight. There’s also a third season of Dance Academy. The CBBC co-production Wolfblood continues to attract buyers’ attention. The division is also presenting the girl-skewed Wendy, about friendships, horses and romance.

From ZDFE.drama, House Husbands is an Australian-set dramedy about four modern families where the fathers are the ones who stay at home with the kids. Dicte is a Scandinavian crime series about a female reporter who writes about crime and investigates as well. The Killing is back with its third season. Further highlights include The Fall, which stars Gillian Anderson; the TV movie Cybergeddon; Reef Doctors, about a clinic that serves Australia’s Great Barrier Reef; Lost in Borneo, an eco-drama; and Death of a Pilgrim, a thriller about the search for the assassin of Sweden’s Prime Minister.

ZDFE.factual presents the six-part documentary Last Secrets of the Third Reich, as well as Doomsday, which comes in time to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI. America’s response to terrorists is at the center of a trio of docs: CIA Confidential, Inside the NSA and Counterterror NYC. Additional highlights include Cosmic Encounters, shot in space in 3D; Martian Mega Rover; and Robinson Crusoe’s Treasure Island. There’s also Swamp Men, season three of Hard Time, season two of License to Drill, Navajo Cops and Rocket City Rednecks.

ZDFE.entertainment highlights include Wanna Bet?, a mix of talk, game and variety elements. Your Song is about inspiring young songwriting talents, coming alongside the kid-skewed Challenge and the celebrity-based Web vs. Celeb. Food formats are also among the top entertainment shows for the company, including Money Meals, Kitchen Battle and Lichter! Lafer! Lucious!

Fred Burcksen, ZDF Enterprises’ COO, commented: "MIPTV signals the official international launch of the new operative corporate structure that has been put in place to offer a better, more efficient service to our clients. ZDF Enterprises is now organized in four divisions which are each responsible for a specific genre: ZDFE.junior, ZDFE.drama, ZDFE.factual and ZDFE.entertainment. Each division also handles international projects, from the acquisition of rights up to all the facets of sales and distribution. At MIPTV, we offer high-caliber programs in all genres—from mischievous mermaids to chaotic cooking."