Sky eyes more original drama in Germany

Sky will invest in more original German TV series, according to CEO Jeremy Darroch, in an interview the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, following the announcement that Sky Deutschland CEO Brian Sullivan is quitting to return to the US.

Darroch also said that he had not ruled out entering new European markets in the wake of its acquisition of its German and Italian sister companies, but said the company was concentrating on integrating its existing assets.

Darroch added that Sky had an “appetite for investment” in sports rights. The group currently pays just under half a billion euros per season for Bundesliga games, and industry observers expect that this could double for the next set of rights, due to be negotiated from April next year.

The Sky boss said it had plans to invest in new series in Germany in addition to its football investment, echoing a pledge made by Sullivan last year. it has been investing in original drama with local partners as well as with its Sky counterparts in the UK and Italy.

A Reuters report last week suggested Sullivan would join Sky majority shareholder 21st Century Fox.