Autentic and WDR launch new German doc distributor

Autentic, the Munich-based docs and channels group run by Beta Film and Patrick Hörl, and regional German broadcaster WDR have launched a new joint venture sales business, Autentic Distribution.

The business will market and distribute the factual output of both WDR and Autentic from now on as well as from third party producers in Germany and beyond. It will be based out of Cologne.

The unveiling of the new distribution business follows the appointment, last September, of former Deutsche Welle and Bavaria Media executive Anne Hufnagel (pictured) who will be in charge of the new operation.

Michael Loeb, CEO of WDR said: “We are very pleased to focus on German and international firms as sales clients in our joint venture, and to position ourselves on the market, ready for all future challenges.”

Autentic CEO Patrick Hörl added: “The development of the market calls for a strong, genre-specific distribution system that uses the most modern technology. We have set up the infrastructure in such a way that we can also deliver speedily to purely digital clients such as VOD platforms.”