Joyn

The Masked Singer changes format — no longer live

ProSieben will record the 13th season of The Masked Singer instead of broadcasting it live. The broadcaster will tape the season in block between August 25 and September 11, 2026, over roughly two-and-a-half weeks. The new format accelerates the pace: the first four episodes act as preliminary rounds with four masks each (16 celebrities total), two advancing from each round, leading into a semifinal and final — six episodes in total. ProSieben says prerecording lowers production costs and makes it easier to book high-profile contestants. Matthias Opdenhövel remains the host and the show continues to be produced by Endemol Shine Germany. Hannes Hiller (EVP Show, Own IP & ProSieben) framed the change as aligning Germany’s edition with international standards.

Germans Spend Days Searching for Streaming Content

A Burda publication study called “Screens in Motion” (TV Spielfilm Plus) reports that many Germans spend multiple days per year searching for films and series across streaming platforms rather than watching. The analysis, based on a YouGov online survey of ~2,000 respondents in March 2026, found that 16–29 year‑olds average about 19 minutes per selection session (≈4.8 days/year), 30–49 year‑olds about 15 minutes (≈3.8 days/year), and those 50+ about eight minutes (≈2 days/year). Men reported slightly longer selection times than women (15 vs. 13 minutes, ≈3.8 vs. 3.3 days/year). The study also notes that 68% of video users say decisions are easier if they read information about a film or series beforehand. The research highlights decision fatigue caused by the large number of streaming options.

Screenforce Festival 2026: Broadcasters Reveal Season Plans

At the Screenforce Festival in Düsseldorf, major German broadcasters and media sellers — including RTL, ProSiebenSat.1, Disney, ARD Media, Visoon and production partner El Cartel Brothers — presented programming and commercial plans for the coming TV season. ProSiebenSat.1 highlighted travel-focused formats with Joko & Klaas, the comeback of Alexander Hold, a set of sporting rights and new entertainment formats; Disney Advertising announced a rebrand from Disney Channel to "Disney TV" and a new German Hulu series; RTL and Sky presented jointly with a clear sports emphasis. RTLzwei reported growth across linear TV and streaming (RTL+) and outlined new reality, dating and docusoap titles. DWDL.de covered the two-day festival and published interviews with ProSiebenSat.1 executives about investing in new brands and the competitive position of TV and streaming versus social platforms.