Observed Signal · Sep 4, 2026 · Earnings Report · Source: DWDL · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
German Pay-TV and VoD Growth Stagnates at €5.5B
The German private media association VAUNET presented new figures for the German pay-TV and VoD market, revealing that after years of dynamic growth, the sector's revenue stagnated at €5.5 billion in 2025 (previously forecast at €5.8 billion). For 2026, VAUNET expects a slight increase to €5.6 billion, driven solely by SVoD, while traditional pay-TV channels see slight declines. Despite the revenue stagnation, the number of subscriptions continues to rise: pay-TV subscriptions grew to 15.8 million, and SVoD subscriptions are expected to surpass 26 million in 2026. VAUNET Managing Director Frank Giersberg attributed the forecast miss to an 'different market environment' and reiterated calls for a level playing field with big tech and against advertising restrictions. On the sidelines, executives from RTL and ProSiebenSat.1 confirmed ongoing talks about future content distribution.
Key industry financial data for German pay-TV and streaming market, indicates growth slowdown and strategic implications for major players.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- VAUNET reports German pay-TV and VoD revenue stagnated at €5.5 billion in 2025, below earlier forecast of €5.8 billion.
- VAUNET forecasts a slight increase to €5.6 billion for 2026, with growth solely from SVoD.
- Classic pay-TV subscriptions grew to 15.8 million in 2025, expected to rise to 16.4 million in 2026.
- SVoD subscriptions are projected to exceed 26 million in 2026.
- RTL and ProSiebenSat.1 executives confirmed ongoing talks about future content distribution.
- RTL's Sky Stream currently distributes ProSiebenSat.1 channels, a deal signed before RTL's takeover of Sky.
Connected Companies & Entities
7 Entities mapped“Über Sky Stream, das mittlerweile ja auch zu RTL Deutschland gehört, werden die ProSiebenSat.1-Sender verbreitet....”
“Nicole Agudo Berbel, Geschäftsführerin und Chief Distribution & Partnerships Officer bei ProSiebenSat.1...”
“Über Sky Stream, das mittlerweile ja auch zu RTL Deutschland gehört, werden die ProSiebenSat.1-Sender verbreitet....”
“Eun-Kyung Park, SVP & Country Manager GSA bei The Walt Disney Company...”
“Matthias Heinze, SVP Commercial & Managing Director GSA bei Warner Bros. Discovery...”
“Der erfolgreiche Start von HBO Max ist der beste Beweis dafür....”
“Henning Nieslony, Executive Vice President Streaming RTL Deutschland...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
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Francie Petrick Appointed CEO of Antenne Deutschland
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ARD Mediathek tops ZDF, RTL+ grows in September streaming
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