Viewers in German-speaking countries can start tuning into new television channels. The media group High View announced a significant expansion of its digital offering through a new licensing agreement with Paramount Global Content Distribution. This strategic collaboration brings three specialized channels, built on strong brands from Paramount's portfolio, to the GSA (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) region.
The new channels operate on the principle of FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV), meaning they are completely free for end-users and their operation is financed by advertising revenue. With this move, High View aims to respond to the growing demand for quality content available without a monthly subscription, and to solidify its position in the Western European streaming services market.
High View is launching three new FAST channels based on iconic Paramount brands in the GSA region.
Iconic Series and Western Classics
The core of the new programming offer consists of so-called single-IP channels, which focus exclusively on one specific title or franchise. This strategy allows fans continuous access to their favorite shows in linear broadcasting. The Samsung TV Plus platform has become the distribution partner for the project, integrating these channels into its smart TV environment.
The selection of titles includes genre-diverse productions covering various age groups of viewers:
- Beverly Hills, 90210 — A legendary youth series that defined 90s pop culture.
- Lucky Dog — A popular show focused on dog rescue and training, targeting family audiences.
- Gunsmoke — An iconic Western series, among the longest-running and most successful titles in television history.
The first two channels mentioned, namely Beverly Hills, 90210 and Lucky Dog, are already operational on the Samsung TV Plus platform throughout the GSA region. However, Western fans will have to wait a little longer, as the Gunsmoke channel will join the broadcast soon. The exact launch date for the third channel was not specified in the official announcement.
Investment in Quality Content
Klaus Fendt, Business Development Director at High View Group, emphasized that the choice of these specific brands was not accidental. According to him, the company intentionally focuses on titles with high value and clear audience identification, which should ensure the stability and growth of their FAST business. For Samsung TV Plus, this is another step in diversifying content for the DACH region and Benelux.
Advertising space on all three new channels will be exclusively managed by Goldvertise.
Paramount Global Content Distribution expects primarily broader reach from this partnership. Bernhard Schwab, SVP for Content Licensing, believes that licensing for FAST platforms will give their popular brands greater visibility and allow them to reach entirely new viewer groups who are returning to traditional television broadcasting through modern streaming applications.
“We have acquired licenses for three fantastic brands from Paramount and are delighted to launch these new channels with our partner Samsung TV Plus. We are deliberately investing in high-quality content to further expand our FAST business,”
Business Model and Future of Distribution
While viewers gain access to content for free, the economic aspect of the project relies on a partnership with the advertising agency Goldvertise. It will be responsible for the complete sale of advertising time and management of ad space for all three new channels. This model is crucial for the sustainability of free streaming, which is experiencing rapid growth in Germany and surrounding countries.
The collaboration between High View and Samsung is not new but an expansion of an existing successful partnership. Benedikt Frey, who leads Samsung TV Plus activities for the DACH and Benelux regions, confirmed that iconic titles such as Beverly Hills, 90210 are precisely the type of content that viewers seek on their platform. Whether the offering will expand to include other titles from the Paramount Skydance Corporation portfolio in the future remains an open question at this time.