ORF-Enterprise expands global reach with new customers and returning partners at MIPCOM 2026

The latest agreements range from major broadcasters and pay-TV operators to FAST services, home entertainment and onboard platforms, bringing productions such as Tatort Vienna, JONES, Soko Kitzbuehel, Glambitious, Superfish – Wild Salmon, Mission Sea Otter – Saving California’s Kelp Forests, Croatia’s Coast – Endless and Wild and Zealandia – The Hidden Continent to new audiences.

'International distribution extends the value of outstanding content far beyond its original market. These agreements demonstrate how distinctive Austrian programming can succeed across very different territories, genres and forms of distribution when compelling storytelling is matched with the right commercial strategy', says Matthias Seiringer, CEO of ORF-Enterprise. 'For ORF-Enterprise, international sales are both an important growth driver and a meaningful contribution to the global visibility of Austria’s creative industry'.

New customers and returning partners drive fiction sales

In a first for the two companies in Portugal, The Walt Disney Company has acquired ten Tatort Vienna movies, opening a new customer relationship for ORF-Enterprise in the territory and extending the reach of one of Austria’s most successful crime brands.

Another first-time customer, Canal+, has licensed an extensive fiction package for Austria, including Kafka, Weber & Breitfuß, nine seasons of Four Women and a Funeral, The Curious Case of Gerti B., Backwoods Crimes, all three installments of In the Shadow of Fear, Lights Out, Kottan's Investigations and Kaisermühlen Blues.

GSN continues its cooperation with ORF-Enterprise across several English-speaking territories. The company has acquired seasons 18 to 20 of long-running crime series Soko Kitzbuehel for the United States and Canada, while Austrian-Portuguese drama JONES has been secured for the United Kingdom and Ireland. In the German-speaking market, Fernsehjuwelen will release a DVD box featuring a selection of Tatort Vienna movies with the popular investigator duo Eisner and Fellner.

Mainstream Media has acquired The Nosy Brothers together with a 26-episode Tatort Vienna package for German-language crime channel Der Krimikanal, while Samsung TV Plus has selected a package for Germany, Austria and Switzerland featuring titles including The Nosy Brothers, Old Money, The Kebab Incident, Polt and Dave. Tatort Vienna also remains popular in the Nordics, with TV2 Denmark showing interest in re-licensing 18 movies from the crime brand.

'What stands out from this year’s market is the variety of programming strategies we can address with the same catalog', says Armin Luttenberger, Head of Content Sales International at ORF-Enterprise. 'New customers are discovering our fiction, established partners are expanding their commitment with blue-chip factual, and proven library titles are gaining fresh relevance on thematic and FAST services. That combination allows us to offer buyers distinctive new productions alongside trusted brands with long-term audience value'.

Premium factual programming maintains strong international demand

Portuguese public broadcaster RTP has acquired a substantial package led by the first season of Glambitious and a selection of premium factual titles: Superfish – Wild Salmon, Mission Sea Otter – Saving California’s Kelp Forests, Saalbach-Hinterglemm – Where Nature Comes out on Top, South Tyrol – The Land Between, Croatia’s Coast – Endless and Wild, Apex Alley – Predators of the Deep, Seychelles – Archipelago of Emeralds, Zanzibar Untold, Zealandia – The Hidden Continent and Wild Abruzzo – Nature's Jewel in the Heart of Italy.

In Italy, Rai has renewed the rights to Beauty and Despair – Austria’s Empress Sisi. Canal+ Polska has selected Connemara – Ireland’s Savage Beauty and Mission Sea Otter – Saving California’s Kelp Forests, while Canal+ France has acquired both installments of Vanishing Kings – Lions of the Namib together with Russia’s Revenant – The Return of the Siberian Tiger. Belgian broadcaster RTBF has picked up Mission Sea Otter – Saving California’s Kelp Forests.

In Asia, PTS Taiwan has secured a factual package including Wild Transylvania – Dracula's Hidden Kingdom, Java and Bali – The Element of Surprise and Hidden Islands of the South Seas. In the German-speaking territories, High View has acquired a selection of mountain documentaries, while National Geographic Channels has chosen the Alpine documentary Vertical Worlds – Between Abyss and Refuge shortly after acquiring Java and Bali – The Element of Surprise and Guatemala – The Sacred Animals of the Maya. BR has added the Austrian festive production Zauberhafte Weihnacht to its schedule.

New screens create additional value

For Deutsche Bahn’s onboard entertainment service, Endava has selected a package including School of Champions Season 1, Glambitious Season 1, Croatia’s Coast – Endless and Wild, Trieste – City of Many Names and Fighting Cancer: New Treatments. Air China has licensed The Ocean In Sight – Coastal Roads in Norway and Spain, Saalbach-Hinterglemm – Where Nature Comes Out On Top and Trieste – City of Many Names, while Oman Air will feature selected episodes of Days That Never Were and Hainan Airlines has acquired Greece – The Wild Side Part 1. Additional programming is also available through ÖBB and Austrian Airlines.

The dating format Lonely Hearts Club, acquired by Indigenius for its South African adaptation in 2025, will continue with a third and fourth season.

'International distribution is an essential extension of the production value chain', says Nina-Anica Keidies, FILM in AUSTRIA, Austrian Business Agency. 'When Austrian stories, talent and locations are seen by audiences around the world, they strengthen the reputation of the entire production ecosystem. International markets such as MIPCOM therefore create visibility not only for individual programs, but for Austria as a creative, highly skilled and competitive production location, and can open the door to future partnerships, co-productions and investment'.