ABOUT US

ARD Plus GmbH was founded in 2020 with a clear vision: public service content from ARD that is no longer available in the ARD media library for legal reasons should not be lost, but remain available to the public in the long term. This gave rise to the idea of ARD Plus’s own streaming platform: the first streaming platform that bundles and permanently secures current films, series, and highlights from over 75 years of ARD television history, while also involving the rights holders. Today, viewers can watch legendary episodes of Tatort from the 1970s again or experience Lindenstraße in its entirety. Current series and shows such as the new ARD series Asbest, the cult comedy Der Tatortreiniger, and the popular crime series Nord bei Nordwest are also available for streaming.

ARD Plus now reaches viewers not only on its own platform, but also via major providers such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, MagentaTV, and as a YouTube Primetime Channel. At the same time, we are constantly expanding our distribution network — with subscription- and advertising-based channels and so-called FAST channels with licensing partnerships that make high-quality content available where your audience is looking for it.

Today, ARD Plus GmbH is much more than a streaming service. We are also active in license acquisition and program distribution. We market TV highlights, films, and series from renowned licensors and label partners via numerous relevant VoD platforms and television stations. These include international, award-winning films such as Parasite and The Imitation Game, as well as the Grimme Prize-nominated drama series naked. Through targeted acquisitions and co-financing, as well as the expansion of further label partnerships, we are continuously expanding our portfolio – with the aim of providing exceptional content for a broad audience from a single source.

ARD Plus GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of WDR mediagroup GmbH, based in downtown Cologne. The various business divisions ensure a wide range of exploitation along the audiovisual value chain. The managing directors of ARD Plus GmbH are Michael Loeb and Ingo Vandré.