ZDF Studios’ Ralf Rückauer on Navigating the Factual-Distribution Sector

ZDF Studios lands in Cannes with a wealth of titles from across its core areas of history (Pharaohs at War), science (Into the Universe) and wildlife (Indonesia’s Volcanic Islands), as well as an expanding slate of unscripted formats. Ralf Rückauer, VP Unscripted at ZDF Studios, shares with TV Real how the content powerhouse is navigating the ups and downs of factual content distribution.

TV REAL: What are the most significant pressure points in the business right now, and how are you tackling them?
RÜCKAUER: The situation is as follows: we are witnessing a clear upward trend in factual programming. We just have to wait for it to start! Jokes aside, the industry is currently experiencing a turbulent phase. Rising costs, market disruption, declining budgets and order volumes, and competition from new production methods, content creators and AI are causing major changes in our business. However, we also see opportunities for the documentary genre in particular. Those who produce outstanding films, verify facts carefully, provide context and background information and master storytelling and dramaturgy—those who strive for quality—still have a chance in this industry. This is reflected in the productions we are launching this fall: Pharaohs at War, Into the Universe and Song Trip.

TV REAL: What’s been your approach to aligning with producers? How early do you need to board projects?
RÜCKAUER: It depends. It’s absolutely case by case. We encourage producers to get in touch with us at an early stage with an interesting idea or topic. In many cases, we team up with producers to find the right partners for a project. However, in most cases, we act as a distributor to provide the minimum guarantee needed to make a project happen. Anything is possible.

TV REAL: What opportunities have AVOD platforms provided in terms of your library content?
RÜCKAUER: The interesting thing about AVOD is that it allows you to get to know your content in a whole new way. Secret footprints on the sandy beach? A tiny fly landing on the nose of a giant anaconda? Details you’ve never noticed before. It’s amazing how closely your AVOD audience pays attention to every single detail, shares them with others and discusses them. Communities on our YouTube channels, such as Get.factual and the latest, Get.history, are very responsive and provide us with valuable feedback. They also present us with good opportunities to find more “gold” in our programs.

TV REAL: What’s your approach to FAST?
RÜCKAUER: It’s interesting. While half the world is going digital and everyone can choose almost any program from anywhere, are we returning to linear free TV? With FAST channels, which are essentially a modern version of free TV, the industry is moving further into niches, with single-IP channels emerging as the new trend. In our experience, a strong brand or well-known strand is almost essential when it comes to operating FAST channels, given the level of competition. We started launching FAST channels very early on and have no intention of stopping.

TV REAL: What’s your sense of what buyers and commissioners are looking for?
RÜCKAUER: Broadcasters and streamers are seeking a safe haven. Anything that works well for the audience—that sounds familiar, feels comfortable and offers promise—will be given the green light quickly. We view this less critically and more as a challenge for us and our programs. We have classic shows such as Wanna Bet?, which perfectly echoes this need and has just been successfully rebooted on ITV in the U.K. We also have classic blue-chip documentaries about beautiful landscapes, such as Indonesia’s Volcanic Islands. Our aim is not to offer more of the same, but to go one step further and convey something beyond the familiar. For example, we focus on the lesser-known, darker aspects of antiquity, such as Ancient Greece—The Dark Chronicles.

TV REAL: How do you see AI impacting your business?
RÜCKAUER: There are two different fields here. On the one hand, there is generative AI, which can assist with film production or creating local-language versions. On the other hand, there is the more technical side, involving database evaluation, workflow automation, process pattern recognition and maintaining a “sales machine” amid ever-increasing volumes.

We are having positive initial experiences in both areas. For instance, we produced several language versions of our 35-part series Great Inventions for some territories. We have also refurbished our history series The Ascent of Civilization and significantly improved some of the images and text. We would not have achieved this without AI. When working with AI, we always use natural intelligence to carefully check what AI has created (in collaboration with our subsidiary, ZDF Digital Medienproduktion). This is essential for us.

TV REAL: What are your goals for your company in the year ahead, amid an air of uncertainty in the business?
RÜCKAUER: We always triple-check facts to deliver the best quality. We want to be a reliable partner that makes tailor-made offers and delivers quickly and accurately. This applies whether we are working with classic television, streaming portals, format partners or our own VOD and FAST channels. To achieve this, we must adapt to new market conditions quickly and flexibly.