Revolution at ARD and ZDF: New competition for Netflix and Co.?

ARD and ZDF want to improve their cooperation. The two media libraries are to be expanded into a common streaming network. Even more is planned in the future. We summarize the innovations.
ARD and ZDF are becoming one - at least on the Internet Image source: Aleks Dorohovich via Unsplash
ARD and ZDF are becoming one – at least on the Internet

Together, ARD and ZDF say they have a catalog of 250,000 films and series in their media libraries. But so far the content of the two public television channels has been separated from each other. The media libraries also differ in their operation and require their own user accounts.

ARD AND ZDF NOT ONLY MERGE CONTENT

In the first step, a comprehensive search function is to be built in across both offers. This means that the content of ARD and the state broadcasting corporations can in future be found in the ZDF media library and vice versa. But not only the content, but also the accounts are to be merged. In the future, you can use both media libraries with one login. Commenced programs and watch lists can be synchronized across both offers.

In the shared streaming network, users can put together mixed playlists with offers from ARD and ZDF. A comprehensive personalization and recommendation system is also being planned. In addition, there should be adjustments to the respective user interfaces and the design of the media libraries.

A TASK OF YEARS

In order to make these steps possible, ARD and ZDF have agreed on an extensive technological partnership. It is helpful that both media libraries are already operated at a common location in Mainz. The common streaming network is to be built up step by step in the coming years. It should also be possible for other public law offers to participate. The contents of ARTE and the FUNK youth program are already available from the ARD and ZDF media libraries. Because of the lack of an increase in the broadcasting fee for the time being, the financing question is difficult at the moment. It is not known whether ARD and ZDF will be able to save costs in the future by working together.

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