Observed Signal · Jul 15, 2026 · Product Launch · Source: DWDL · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
ProSiebenSat.1 to launch Sat.2 in early 2027
ProSiebenSat.1 will launch a new linear TV channel, Sat.2 — slogan "Wiedersehen macht Freude" — in early 2027, targeting primarily women and viewers aged 50+ with German scripted fiction and legacy Sat.1 brands (Der Bulle von Tölz, Kommissar Rex, Verliebt in Berlin). Ellen Koch is developing the channel; Chief Content Officer Henrik Pabst signalled the plan and described linear as “a supporting wall — but not the whole building.” Executives position Sat.2 as an ad-funded reach vehicle complementary to streaming, to be sold alongside Sat.1 via Seven.One Media within an expanded 7+1 linear portfolio, and it will be freely receivable across multiple platforms at launch. Reported by Horizont and DWDL, the move sits amid a re-linearisation trend: DWDL notes 30 niche channels reached a combined 32.3% share among 14–49 year‑olds last year.
Major German broadcaster expanding linear inventory with an ad-funded channel aimed at older viewers; impacts TV advertising supply and media-sales packaging but is not industry-shifting globally.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Sat.2 will launch in early 2027, branded "Wiedersehen macht Freude", and be freely receivable across multiple platforms at launch.
- Target audience is primarily female viewers and audiences aged 50+, with programming focused on German scripted series and legacy Sat.1 brands.
- Ellen Koch is developing the channel; Chief Content Officer Henrik Pabst publicly signalled the plan and framed linear as a supporting, but no longer sole, part of the portfolio.
- Sat.2 is positioned as an ad-funded reach vehicle complementary to streaming and will be sold alongside Sat.1 by Seven.One Media as part of a widened 7+1 linear portfolio.
- The launch comes amid re-linearisation trends: DWDL reports 30 niche channels achieved a combined 32.3% market share among 14–49 year-olds last year.
Connected Companies & Entities
9 Entities mapped“In an interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung, Henrik Pabst, Chief Content Officer of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, announced the launch of the new TV...”
“Image 1: Henrik Pabst © Seven.One Entertainment Group”
“URL for this article: https://www.dwdl.de/nachrichten/107177/prosiebensat1_startet_neuen_fernsehsender_2027_kommt_sat2/ © DWDL.de GmbH, 2001...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
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ProSiebenSat.1 to launch free retro channel Sat 2
HORIZONT reports that media group ProSiebenSat.1 will launch a free-to-air retro television channel called Sat 2 in the coming year. The channel is billed to show classic Sat.1 programmes from the past two decades. The article, published on July 18, 2026 and authored by David Hein and Bettina Sonnenschein, outlines pro and contra views on whether the retro channel will succeed. The story frames Sat 2 as a surprising strategic move by ProSiebenSat.1 and notes broader industry context in linked coverage about the TV market and competing channels.
ProSieben Aims to Own January with Sat.2
Seven.One Media's Chief Revenue Officer Lennart Harendza says the company will continue a combined linear-TV and streaming strategy while adding reach through a new linear channel, Sat.2, launching early next year. The company highlights Joyn as a growing AVOD streamer with up to 12 million monthly users and is introducing a synchronized cross-channel ad format called "All 21" — a roughly 60-second roadblock across seven channels at 21:00 on Thursdays (typically three advertisers per block). Harendza stresses sport (notably the Handball World Championship in January) and entertainment as priorities for the coming season, and notes an early launch advertiser (Rewe) with agency Pion3ers. The interview frames these moves as iterative expansions of reach rather than a wholesale strategy change.
ProSiebenSat.1 reshapes channels: Jenke, Giesel move to Sat.1
ProSiebenSat.1 is strategically restructuring its linear channels and streaming platform for 2027, as announced by Chief Content Officer Henrik Pabst in a DWDL.de interview. The company is transforming into a multi-platform content house, distributing content across linear TV, Joyn, YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms. Sat.1 will focus on fiction, factual, and family entertainment, including Jenke von Wilmsdorff's reports and Peter Giesel's 'Achtung Abzocke', and will exclusively air 'The Voice of Germany' and 'The Voice Kids'. ProSieben will become the home of major entertainment and sports events, such as the Handball World Cup. Kabel Eins will feature US series like 'NCIS' and 'The Simpsons'. Additionally, a new channel Sat.2 will target the 50+ audience. Joyn will deepen five verticals, integrate ZDF content, merge MFE's Infinity technology, and launch over 20 creator formats.
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