Streaming is booming, but with more choice, it also brings complexity. Viewers often juggle multiple apps, remote controls, and subscriptions to find the content they love. Because real magic happens when great content meets great user experience, our Local Content Heroes series celebrates the partners that make Smart TVs Powered by TiVo feel simply intuitive, familiar, and deeply relevant to our day-to-day lives.
By telling these country-by-country stories, we’ll highlight audience needs and expectations, trusted brands, and the content people love—reinforcing the value of the TiVo OS platform across Europe and beyond.
This month, we’re turning the spotlight on Germany—a market where tradition meets innovation, and where viewers expect premium content delivered seamlessly.
Germany: Bringing National Favorites and Premium Choices Together
German viewers have a clear preference: easy access to trusted broadcasters and premium streaming services—all in one place. TiVo OS brings that experience to life, featuring ARD, ZDF, RTL+, Joyn, and Waipu, so households can enjoy news, entertainment, sports, and on-demand favorites without juggling apps or devices.
Local German Heroes we’re spotlighting in February
- ARD – Trusted news and cultural depth with an eye on regional topics, plus series and movies that captivate Germany.
- ZDF – Public service content with a strong focus on documentaries and entertainment.
- RTL+ – Exclusive series, reality shows, and premium originals.
- Joyn – Free streaming with exclusive originals, live TV, and catch-up content. Further premium contents and tv-previews within Joyn PLUS+.
- Waipu – Live TV and streaming combined for a next-generation experience.
Why it matters
- Public service pillars:
ARD and ZDF are more than channels—they’re cultural institutions. From breaking news and live coverage of national moments to iconic, award-winning formats like Tatort—a longstanding Grimme-Preis and Deutscher Fernsehpreis favorite—and prestige dramas such as Babylon Berlin, these broadcasters set the benchmark for quality storytelling. Alongside trusted news brands like Tagesschau and heute journal, and documentaries recognized at German and international festivals, ARD and ZDF remain cornerstones of German viewing. - Entertainment variety:
RTL+ and Joyn deliver what audiences crave—popular series, reality formats, and exclusive originals that resonate across generations. From ratings powerhouses like Let’s Dance and Deutschland sucht den Superstar on RTL+ to Joyn favorites such as Germany’s Next Topmodel – by Heidi Klum and the award-winning The Masked Singer (Deutscher Fernsehpreis winner), mainstream entertainment thrives on these platforms. RTL+ also integrates music and podcasts, creating a multilayered entertainment ecosystem, while Joyn’s broad genre mix and combination of famous TV formats with creator-driven entertainment is even available completely for free, bringing premium content to the widest possible audience. - Next-gen TV experience:
Waipu is redefining live TV in Germany by seamlessly merging IPTV with streaming into a frictionless viewing experience. With access to more than 250 channels and integrated apps, it acts as a central gateway—bringing live broadcasts, award-nominated programming, and on-demand hits such as Der Bergdoktor, Wer stiehlt mir die Show?, Let’s Dance, and flagship news formats together in one modern TV environment. - Discovery made easy:
TiVo OS ensures viewers can glide effortlessly from an ARD documentary to an RTL+ drama or a Joyn original—all from one intuitive home screen. Whether it’s discovering the latest Tatort episode, catching up on Let’s Dance, or finding the next breakout Joyn format, TiVo OS removes friction and puts Germany’s most celebrated local content front and center.
“Joyn stands for free, high-quality entertainment with a strong local focus. With a broad mix of originals, reality, shows and genre highlights, we offer a wide variety of entertainment. Our mission to bring Joyn users their favourite content wherever they are fits perfectly with TiVo OS’s approach to content discovery. We see a great match between TiVo OS and Joyn through strong discovery features and a seamless user experience – helping to make Joyn’s diverse content easy to find, accessible, and relevant to viewers.”
Nicole Agudo-Berbel, Managing Director und Chief Distribution Officer at ProSiebenSat.1
Did you know?
- Germany’s digital video entertainment market is projected to surpass €11.5 billion by 2026, fueled by hybrid viewing habits and the rise of connected TVs. (Source: Futuresource Consulting – Video Entertainment Market Forecast)
- 77% of the German population uses a smart TV, reinforcing the strategic importance of platformled experiences that simplify content discovery and maximize engagement across live TV and streaming. (Source: Bitkom, Future of Consumer Technology 2025)
- According to Statista’s analysis of German TV reception types, the share of households using IPTV as their primary reception method continues to grow each year, while both cable and satellite continue their long-term decline. (Source: Statistiken zum IPTV-Empfang).
- Waipu is among Germany’s fastest-growing IPTV platforms, offering more than 250 channels and integrated streaming in a single interface—perfect for households seeking simplicity. (Source: Waipu)
- On Joyn, viewers can watch over 110 German TV channels via live stream. This includes Joyn’s own channels as well as major public broadcasters, niche channels, and selected third-party partners – most of them available in HD quality. (Source: Joyn)
Across Europe, Smart TVs Powered by TiVo are bringing users the content they love and the stories that resonate the most from the apps and channels we affectionately call our “Local Content Heroes”. The award‑winning TiVo OS experience puts these streamers at the forefront, making it easy for people to find, watch and enjoy local, relevant programming, alongside the best global streaming apps. It’s a viewing experience that feels tailored, familiar and effortless built on a platform designed for today’s viewing habits.
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