Banijay launches German doc unit

Marc Schlömer and Arno Schneppenheim

Banijay Productions Germany is expanding its portfolio into documentary series with the launch of a new arm, Doc.Banijay, led by sports commentator Marc Schlömer.

The Cologne-based prodco will be led by exec producer Schlömer, who reports to Banijay Productions MD Arno Schneppenheim.

Schlömer has spent 20 years at pubcaster ARD as a Bundesliga football commentator and as the author of documentaries including Das Leben ist ein Hauch. During his time there, he was awarded a German Television Award for his reports for WDR magazine show Sport Inside.

He is also known for addressing climate change and socio-politics topics, having produced projects for ARD-Weltspiegel and Swiss Television. These are areas he will continue to tackle through the Banijay-backed doc unit.

Schlömer will no longer be a reporter at the Olympic Games but will maintain his broadcasting roles for ARD at the European Football Championship. Additionally, he will continue to contribute to Sport Inside and the online series No Sports!? for WDR.

Other genres, including factual, reality and comedy will continue to be led by Banijay Productions Germany’s creative director Katrin Heller.

Schlömer said: “For me, the fact that I get the chance to co-found and build a docu department within Europe’s largest production group is an honour. I am grateful to the ARD managers for allowing me to step back from upcoming tasks in the summer so that we can get started straight away at Banijay Productions Germany.”

Schneppenheim, MD of Banijay Productions Germany, said: “I have long been interested in the genre of journalistic documentation and with brilliant talent such as Marc leading we have the perfect expert to create this new arm within Banijay Productions Germany.”