Free-of-charge video-on-demand provider (VOD) Watch 4 wants to launch a subscription VOD service in German-speaking Europe in 2015 offering movies and TV series for a flat monthly fee.
As part of the expansion, media entrepreneurs Jochen Kröhne und Helge Sasse have become shareholders in Watch 4 through their recently founded company Tempest Digital Media.
Watch 4 which was launched on year ago by rights dealer Philipp Rotermund offers advertising-financed entertainment content which will in future be oriented more strongly on the German-speaking TV market.
The SVOD proposition will be based on an inexpensive subscription model and focus on popular German-language content, for example German TV series, according to the operators.
Jochen Kröhne was previously CEO of TV channels TM3, Tele 5, The History Channel and Motorvision TV in Germany, accompanied many media projects with his consultancy Get on Air and headed video portal Germany’s Gold which was planned by German public broadcasters ARD and ZDF as well as producers, but blocked by the Federal Cartel Office.
Helge Sasse, film producer and lawyer, has previously been CEO of German movie production and distribution company Senator Entertainment for eight years.
Philipp Rotermund, media consultant and grandson of German erotic merchandising pioneer Beate Uhse engaged in Swiss VOD service provider Aximus in 2011 where he launched Watch 4 at the end of 2014.
With its planned SVOD service, Watch 4 will compete with established market players such as maxdome, Watchever, Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video and Sky Snap.
