ZDF and Studio Hamburg launch new sales unit SHE

ZDF Enterprises and Studio Hamburg are launching a joint-venture distribution unit, Studio Hamburg Enterprises (SHE).

The sales company will pick up rights to TV series and feature films and distribute them to the DVD/Blu ray markets.

ZDF Enterprises, the commercial division of German public broadcaster ZDF, and Studio Hamburg, the German producer, will be 50-50 partners in the new venture.

As well as selling TV and movie titles, SHE will market 1,500 titles in the ZDF and ARD archive. DVD releases from both of the public broadcasters will be handled by SHE.

ZDFE said it expects SHE to release up to 150 TV and movie titles on DVD each year. The new company will be run by managing directors Jens Uwe Welge, previously head of home entertainment at Studio Hamburg, and Peter Lang, previously head of merchandising at ZDFE.

Alexander Coridass, president and CEO at ZDFE said: “We are looking forward to cooperating with SHDM. We are convinced that we will be able to further strengthen our position in the DVD market, which remains important, by bringing together an experienced, high-profile partner and our own very attractive program catalogue”.

Peter Thiem, managing director of Studio Hamburg added: “It enables us to strengthen our joint marketing activities relating to archive programs and to acquire attractive material and licences both at home and abroad”.