The truism that ‘no two deals are ever the same’ has never been more accurate than in today’s climate of intricate production partnerships linking companies from around the world. The main feature in our MIP-TV special report traces the evolution of these partnerships through the complex deals that led to new children’s television shows that are now being marketed at MIP-TV. The report also includes a discussion with U.S. studios on television programming trends, as well as a glimpse into the television markets of Germany, England and France.

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German children are spending more time in front of their television sets, as much as two hours a day for tweens, according to a recent study by German public broadcaster ZDF.

Based on figures supplied by the German TV measurement bureau Gesellschaft für Kommunikationsforschung (GfK), children’s television viewing has increased by as much as 19 percent among kids aged six to nine years old since 1985, when the first commercial stations started broadcasting in Germany.

According to the study, German children spent an average of 101 minutes a day in front of the TV last year, and viewing time increases proportionately with age. The study shows that three- to five-year-olds spent 81 minutes a day watching TV, six- to nine-year-olds about 96 minutes a day, 10- to 13-year-olds 120 minutes each day, and 61 percent of German children turn the TV on at least once each day.

The study also points out differences in the viewing habits of German boys and girls, with boys consuming 16 percent more television than girls.

German girls prefer daily soaps, especially those that deal with the topics of love and relationships, such as Roseanne or the German daily soap Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten. Girls also watched more game shows and classic stories such as Pippi Langstrumpf.

German boys showed a preference for action movies like Karate Tiger and action-oriented American animated shows such as those shown on Super RTL.

Younger German kids (under nine years old ) seek funny and adventurous animated programs. They love series where the ‘small her’es’ win over the ‘big’ ones. Older children (from nine to 13 years old) tend more towards adult programming such as prime-time series, movies and family entertainment. They also like comedies and reality TV.