Sky Deutschland is pulling out of commissioning scripted originals from 2024.
Staff were told of the plan by Sky Deutschland CEI Devesh Raj in a memo, which was published in full by US trade publication Variety.
Variety reported that Sky Deutschland’s scripted originals team will eventually be disbanded. Shows that are already in production, such as post-apocalypse drama Helgoland 513 and Das Boot season 4, will finish filming. Any projects in development will be put into turnaround.
Sky Deutschland is responsible for critically acclaimed dramas such as Babylon Berlin and political thriller Munich Games.
Sky Deutschland operations span Germany, Austria and Switzerland, also known as the DACH countries.
Last year, it emerged that Sky Deutschland’s parent company Comcast was considering a sale for the German business, valuing it at around €1 billion.
Sky Deutschland has been hit by competition from streaming giants, including Netflix, Amazon and Apple, in Germany. In his memo to staff, Raj cited rising costs as a contributing factor for the decision to halt scripted production.
Raj wrote: “Since we pushed into this space, the entertainment industry, content landscape and viewer behaviour have rapidly evolved – as has Sky’s business. Also, during this time, the cost of producing scripted content has continued to rise, in part driven by the emergence of myriad new streaming providers, making it harder for drama series to cut through.”
Raj added: “As we continue to focus on building a sustainable business in DACH, we have to make tough choices on where to spend our investment to ensure we provide value to the business, and our customers. That’s why today we have taken the decision to halt the production of new scripted Sky Originals from 2024 onwards. We are committed to completing projects currently in production. “
You are not signed in
Only registered users can comment on this article.
Delyth Evans confirmed as Chair of S4C
The UK government has confirmed Delyth Evans as the new Chair of S4C.
Mr Loverman, Mr Bates vs The Post Office lauded at BAFTA TV Awards
BBC1’s adaptation of Bernardine Evaristo’s novel Mr Loverman was the only programme to win two categories at this year’s BAFTA Television Awards.
Mark Burnett and Nick Clegg among speakers for RTS Cambridge Convention 2025
Hollywood producer and US Special Envoy to the UK Mark Burnett, former Meta President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg, and FX Chairman John Landgraf are among the first wave of high-profile speakers for the Royal Television Society (RTS)’s Cambridge Convention 2025.
Working Title’s Sarah-Jane Wright to chair ScreenSkills’ film fund
ScreenSkills has named Working Title’s Head of Film & TV Production Sarah-Jane Wright as the new Chair of its Film Skills Fund Council.
.jpg)
DCMS report explores future of TV distribution
A significant number of UK households still rely solely on traditional TV platforms such as digital terrestrial television (DTT), cable or satellite, and without government intervention, some groups may find it difficult to adopt internet-based TV (IPTV), according to a new report for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
