The lights on the catwalk at the grand finale of "Germany's Next Topmodel – by Heidi Klum" sparkle like stars. It's one of the most spectacular TV evenings of the year. There's excitement in the air as the tension mounts among the contestants and the highlight of the final show draws closer. In Heidi Klum's show, talented models compete for the title and the chance to make it in the fashion world. The emotional rollercoaster ride, from thrilling photo shoots to nerve-wracking decisions by the jury, has been captivating ProSieben's viewers for 20 years. And more and more fans of the casting show experience the magical moments live or on demand on Joyn. Thanks to ProSiebenSat.1's streaming platform, the TV highlight is available around the clock. From the first episode to the final – the hunt for the title of the next topmodel is always just a click away.

Satisfied faces at the company headquarters in Unterföhring. "GNTM is also an absolute success story for Joyn, all editions of the show are regularly among the most streamed content on our platform," says Katharina Frömsdorf. The qualified economist can look back on a long career at ProSiebenSat.1 and knows the Group like almost no other. As Chief Platforms & Growth Officer and CEO of Joyn, she has been working with her team on the further development of the streaming platform since fall 2023. And building bridges within the Group: "Joyn is always at the center of our decisions. This realignment has proven to be a decisive step and is reflected in the strong growth of the past year, which confirms Joyn as a central component of our strategy," says Frömsdorf.

A streaming platform at the center of a TV group? This is also a paradigm shift for ProSiebenSat.1 – but a perfectly logical one for Group CEO Bert Habets: "We have a clear goal: to become the number one entertainment provider in the German-speaking region, with high profitability and fast-growing digital business models." In order to achieve this goal, the Company must constantly adapt to its viewers' needs. "Streaming has revolutionized the way we consume content," explains Habets. "We've taken this into account by placing Joyn at the center of our entertainment strategy. Joyn is designed to combine the best of TV and social media in one offering. For us, that's the definition of a super streamer: everything in one app – comprehensive, free and for all target groups."

In Austria we are already very close to achieving this goal: The local edition of Joyn, formerly Zappn, has established itself as the market leader in free streaming in the Alpine republic – with numerous partners, including local giants such as Servus TV and Krone TV, as well as a wide range of live and on-demand content. Austria's public broadcasters are also represented on the platform with their services, including media libraries. With around 1.8 million active users, Joyn Austria is a superstreamer in its own market and impresses with its free offering.

Markus Breitenecker is a key driver of this success. He has managed ProSiebenSat.1 Group's business in Austria since 1998, during which time he has built ProSiebenSat.1 PULS4 into the largest private TV group and Joyn into the country's largest streamer. As Chief Operating Officer (Group COO) on the Executive Board of ProSiebenSat.1 since April 2024, he is now taking this success to the next level. "We aim to develop Joyn into the largest free, advertising-financed platform with the best offering in the entire German-speaking region," says Breitenecker, outlining the clear goal. Joyn's content pipeline is well-stocked – and offers access to over 70 stations, live channels, and themed channels as well as a total of around 48,000 hours of programs.

With its consistent focus on advertising-financed and therefore free content for all users, Joyn has a unique selling point in the German advertising market. While most national and international streaming portals primarily rely on subscription models, Joyn takes a different approach as an AVoD (advertising video-on-demand) service. Group CEO Habets is convinced that this is the right way forward for ProSiebenSat.1. "We are a profitable TV company that achieves a high advertising impact with traditional television," explains the Dutch native. "Advertisers still want to advertise on the big screen. That's why we're integrating it with Joyn as a free streaming platform with live and on-demand content. Joyn expands our reach and is an additional distribution channel."

"And that's a game changer," adds Group COO Breitenecker. "With Joyn, we have the broadest and most diverse range of freely accessible VoD offerings in Germany. At the same time, we have extensive expertise in TV marketing. That is a very attractive combination for our advertising customers." The marketing subsidiary Seven.One Media already offers comprehensive marketing packages – with a particular focus on Joyn.

Joyn, a paradise for advertisers? Markus Messerer, Chief Commercial Officer of Seven.One Entertainment Group since summer 2024 and CEO of Seven.One Media, says with a smile "We offer advertising customers unique framework conditions. We are really the only organization that can offer the advertising market these possibilities along with high-quality content. With its large library of US series and movies, access to the entire content of ProSiebenSat.1, and Joyn Originals, Joyn is a very attractive advertising environment for brands." And there is another reason why the head of marketing feels optimistic: A high-quality inventory in the German-speaking region is crucial for flexible budgets and investing in the local market. "Joyn is the ideal partner for this. After all, we offer the best advertising environments on the big screen, with maximum advertising impact."

The signs are pointing to growth for free services such as Joyn. Current studies show: Joyn is also frequently used as an additional service in households. The TV is on in the living room, while Joyn is running on other mobile devices in other rooms such as the kitchen or a child's bedroom. In addition, the platform is becoming increasingly important in facilities such as student residences and hotels. Since summer 2024, the abolition of the service charge privilege in Germany has also reinforced this trend: Tenants in Germany can now decide for themselves whether and in what form they want to use a cable connection. Many young people are also looking for free ways to consume news, sports and entertainment. They often only have an Internet connection and only want to get a streaming subscription. "These trends show growth potential for Joyn. We'll capitalize on this," says Joyn CEO Frömsdorf.

Joyn is already popular with users – and not just thanks to popular shows like "Germany’s Next Topmodel – by Heidi Klum". In-house productions such as the SAT.1 series "Die Landarztpraxis", reality highlights such as "Promi Big Brother" or Joyn Originals such as the series "Die Stinos" or the creator format "The Race" have also boosted user numbers in recent months and sharpened the budding super streamer's brand profile. For Katharina Frömsdorf, one thing is certain: "Every piece of content that we develop at ProSiebenSat.1 should primarily work for Joyn and not just for traditional television. We are focusing on expansion this year and will continue to strengthen our leading formats." In addition to spin-offs of successful shows such as GNTM and "The Masked Singer", Joyn is increasingly leaning towards content from new, often young talents from the digital creator world.

In order to continue to grow, Joyn is also focusing on expanding new content and distribution partnerships. The clear goal is: to strengthen its own brand presence. "Last year, we intensified our cooperation with Telekom and Sky. This has led to strong growth," reports Frömsdorf. The CEO of Joyn is also focused on expanding the portfolio. "Joyn is also interesting as an aggregation platform for smaller players and special-interest channels." For example, the American news provider CNN has been available on Joyn since fall 2024. Frömsdorf and her team are also investing in making content easier to find and are adding more and more themes to the streaming platform. A playback channel for anime fans, a program lane with shows by Joko and Klaas or a channel with all available episodes of "jerks"? Find them with a single click on Joyn. But Joyn is also in contact with the major players, such as the public broadcasters ARD and ZDF, and already offers public broadcasting program highlights. And wants to continue to grow. "Our vision is clear: Joyn offers space for all video content providers in Germany," says the head of Joyn.