Live from Paris: ARD and ZDF work in partnership to share resources and coverage for FIFA Women's World Cup By Heather McLean, Editor
Tuesday, July 2, 2019 - 19:29
Print This Story
ZDF and ARD's joint operations room at the IBC in Paris
ARD and ZDF are sharing the German rights package for the FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019. As part of that deal, the two broadcasters have also agreed to share broadcasting resources.
This agreement allows each broadcaster to cover every game live, although the pair have divided the broadcasting schedule to alternate games each.
Double the budget
The two broadcasters are able to get coverage together that alone they would not be able to stretch to, by combining both their people and kit. There are several outside broadcast vans - two from ZDF and one from ARD travelling around France making sure every game is covered, along with one editorial production crew that is literally zigzagging across the country providing pitch-side reports live from the stadiums in semi-augmented studios.
However, sometimes a van owned by one broadcaster covers a live match on behalf of the other, in a true partnership.
Speaking to SVG Europe in the IBC in Paris, Josef Vitino Zoiro, head of engineering for ZDF, says: We have different OBs travelling around the country for ARD or ZDF, but we share the resources, as we share the rights but have divided the broadcasting days. Our teams are working together, news and the sports department, to make this possible. For our editorial and production crew travelling around the country, it's quite a tour for them!
Adds Erik Schumann, international sports coordinator at ZDF, the geography of France means it is possible for the size of the joint ZDF and ARD operation to provide full coverage, live in-stadium, whereas at the men's World Cup in Russia that was physically not possible for these broadcasters.
Schumann explains: In Russia the distances [between venues] was huge so to go everywhere with our OB vans was too much. But here [in France] it's not too much, the distances are ok, so we can be pitch side at every match. It really helps the atmosphere [for the viewers].
Augmented studios
At its in-stadium studios, ZDF is using a form of augmented reality (AR) to enhance the sets for the presenting teams. Says Zoiro: We are using AR in our studio sets in the stadiums which has meant we needed to use a larger space [than we would if we hadn't used AR] at all the stadiums. This means for the people at home they can see added stats and graphics, which looks really good.
ZDF and ARD's control room in Paris
One reason the broadcasters chose to use in-stadium studios is to help build up the atmosphere for viewers at home, notes Schumann: Being pitch-side you get closer to the people and the match. Our build up before the [women's] matches is around 30 minutes, while for the men's pre-match build up we begin up to two hours before.
ZDF is doing its live editing here in Paris at the IBC, while ARD is doing its editing and much of its presenting in Cologne, Germany.
ZDF and ARD are both producing in 1080i but what is broadcast to viewers on air is 720p.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/06/2026
Frequency, the engine powering many of the world's leading streaming television channels, today announced the launch of In-Scene Advertising, a new monetiza...
05/06/2026
Berklee Study Reveals Video Has Become Essential to Music Careers Survey findings show social platforms have become the primary source of music for video cont...
04/06/2026
Sony Electronics is introducing the SRG-AS10, a 4K 60p-compatible PTZ auto-frami...
04/06/2026
This recent grad from Spring, TX, led creative-video output for the Aggies' men's basketball team last season and has been producing video and creating ...
04/06/2026
For the first time at a women's golf major, every player in the field will r...
04/06/2026
Three Panasonic PT-RQ45 40,000-lumen 3-Chip DLP projectors made their first live...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin and Akamai have announced a collaboration with NRJ Group, a French mult...
04/06/2026
Telestream will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N7952), demonstrating media work...
04/06/2026
Sony has announced the development of RIALTO 65, a 65mm format image sensor block for the VENICE 2 digital cinema camera, targeting release in the first half of...
04/06/2026
KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N8025, June ...
04/06/2026
Bell Media's TSN and RDS are the exclusive Canadian broadcasters of FIFA Wor...
04/06/2026
The Challenge: Receiving Heavy Media Files From Road Games Quickly and ReliablyT...
04/06/2026
MASV, a managed file transfer platform used in broadcast and live sports product...
04/06/2026
NESN has announced the appointment of Fahad Haider as Vice President of Operations and Engineering. Haider returns to NESN, where he previously served as Vice P...
04/06/2026
David J. Halberstam, who spent almost 50 years in sports as a broadcaster and an executive, died June 2 after a years-long battle with brain cancer.
Over his l...
04/06/2026
Although collegiate production programs are tasked with delivering high-quality ...
04/06/2026
California studio, two production trucks, global distribution system are combine...
04/06/2026
New global program empowers and supports storytellers through scriptwriting course and access to industry experts
TikTok and Sundance Institute today announce...
04/06/2026
Steinberg DAWs now boast in-depth Tonalic integration
Celemony's innovative virtual session musician plug-in has just received an update that brings ARA...
04/06/2026
Get Hands-On With Over 20 Mic Brands
GearExpo UK is fast approaching, and if you've been looking for a chance to check out some new mics, then you'r...
04/06/2026
Combos feature new Amplifier Intelligence engine
Positive Grid's latest release sees the company introduce two new combo amplifiers that promise to offe...
04/06/2026
Is Your Job Making You Work this June?
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS Launches the World Cup Watchers' Rights Association to Stand Up For Australians&...
04/06/2026
Statement regarding unauthorised use of SBS logos on third party social content
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS has become aware of social media posts in c...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming infrastructure, and Akamai, the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business onli...
04/06/2026
American Underground (AU), the Startup Hub of the South and a community of mor...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
NVIDIA and Microsoft Reinvent Windows PCs for the Age of Personal AI
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
RTX Spark - a 1-Petaflop Superchip, the Full...
04/06/2026
Inside the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Grade
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Simone Grattarola discusses shaping the look in DaVinci Resolve...
04/06/2026
Cine Gear Expo Announces 2026 Awards of Excellence Recipients
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Ed Lachman ASC, Caleb Deschanel ASC, and M. David M...
Live from Paris: ARD and ZDF work in partnership to share resources and coverage for FIFA Women's World Cup By Heather McLean, Editor 
