Every broadcaster has different expectations. PitchDoctor's Format Knowledge Base contains detailed profiles for 59 broadcasters across 22markets — from editorial tone to exposé structure to what they explicitly don't want.
98 of 98 formats
Abc 2020
Recent productions
20/20: The Murder of Laci Peterson (2017) · 20/20: Kidnapped by a Cult (2023) · 20/20: The Menendez Brothers (2024)
Editorial tone
Gripping, emotional, accessible. ABC 20/20 tells true-crime stories and investigative reports for a broad network audience. The tone is dramatically tight — every episode is structured like a thriller
Amazon Prime Documentary
Recent productions
All or Nothing: Manchester City (2018) · Bosch: The Garden of Dreams (Jose Luis Lopez-Linares, 2016) · Lucy and Desi (Amy Poehler, 2022)
Editorial tone
Premium, diverse, globally oriented. Amazon Prime Video invests increasingly in high-quality documentary films and documentary series. Tone varies widely by genre — from intimate sports documentaries
Apple Tv Documentary
Recent productions
STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Davis Guggenheim, 2023) · Prehistoric Planet (Jon Favreau, 2022-2023) · Tiny World (2020)
Editorial tone
Cinematic, prestige-oriented, visually perfectionist. Apple TV+ produces the most visually ambitious documentaries in streaming — every frame must be a photograph. Tone is ambitious but accessible — n
Cbs 60 Minutes
Recent productions
60 Minutes: The Whistleblower (Jeffrey Wigand, 1996) · 60 Minutes: Putin Interview (2024) · 60 Minutes: Inside the Opioid Crisis
Editorial tone
Investigative, authoritative, classic journalism. 60 Minutes is the longest-running news magazine on US television (since 1968). Each segment follows a clear pattern: reporter leads the story, confron
Cnn Films
Recent productions
RBG (Betsy West & Julie Cohen, 2018) · Blackfish (Gabriela Cowperthwaite, 2013, akquiriert) · Three Identical Strangers (Tim Wardle, 2018)
Editorial tone
Journalistic, topical, accessible. CNN Films combines CNN's news competence with the narrative depth of documentary film. The tone is serious, but not dry — CNN Films wants to tell stories that go bey
Discovery Documentary
Recent productions
MythBusters (2003-2016) · Deadliest Catch (seit 2005) · Planet Earth (BBC/Discovery Ko-Produktion, 2006)
Editorial tone
Entertaining, awestruck, suspenseful. Discovery turns science and technology into an event. The tone is enthusiastic, often dramatic — every episode has cliffhangers, countdowns, and wow moments. Scie
Disney Plus Natgeo
Recent productions
Free Solo (Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, 2018) · Welcome to Earth (Will Smith, 2021) · Limitless with Chris Hemsworth (2022)
Editorial tone
Awe-inspiring, uplifting, family-friendly. Disney+/NatGeo combines National Geographic's scientific authority with Disney+'s global reach and family-safe positioning. Tone is optimistic, celebrates na
Espn 30for30
Recent productions
O.J.: Made in America (Ezra Edelman, 2016) · The Last Dance (Jason Hehir, 2020) · The Two Escobars (Jeff Zimbalist & Michael Zimbalist, 2010)
Editorial tone
Cinematic, emotional, mythological. 30 for 30 tells sports stories as American myths. The tone is passionate but never fan-blind. The best episodes go far beyond sport — they tell stories of race, cla
Hbo Documentary Films
Recent productions
Icarus (Bryan Fogel, 2017) · The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (Andrew Jarecki, 2015) · Leaving Neverland (Dan Reed, 2019)
Editorial tone
Cinematic, high-tension, prestige-oriented. HBO Documentary Films produces documentaries that hold up in theaters and at the Oscars. Tone varies by subject — from the cold precision of an investigativ
Hbo Max Documentary
Recent productions
Citizenfour (Laura Poitras, 2014) · The Jinx (Andrew Jarecki, 2015) · Summer of Soul (Questlove, 2021)
Editorial tone
Observational, immersive, unobtrusive storytelling. HBO documentaries are defined by patient storytelling — the camera is close, observes, doesn't judge. The best HBO docs let reality speak for itself
History Channel Documentary
Recent productions
The Men Who Built America (2012) · Hunting Hitler (2015-2018) · The World Wars (2014)
Editorial tone
Dramatic, accessible, event-driven. History Channel tells history as adventure and spectacle. Tone is energetic and suspenseful — every episode must grip like an action film. Complex historical contex
Natgeo Explorer
Recent productions
Free Solo (Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, 2018, NatGeo Ko-Produktion) · Mars (Ron Howard, Executive Producer, 2016) · Secrets of the Whales (James Cameron, 2021)
Editorial tone
Awestruck, adventurous, visually overwhelming. National Geographic Explorer combines field science with adventure storytelling. Tone is enthusiastic but scientifically grounded. Researchers and explor
Nbc Dateline
Recent productions
Dateline: The Thing About Pam (2019, spaeter Peacock-Serie) · Dateline: Broken Trust (2023) · Dateline: Secrets in the Snow (2022)
Editorial tone
Investigative, gripping, methodical. NBC Dateline is the definitive true-crime newsmagazine on US television. Tone is more serious and investigative than ABC 20/20 — Dateline presents itself as journa
Netflix Documentary
Recent productions
Making a Murderer (Laura Ricciardi & Moira Demos, 2015) · The Social Dilemma (Jeff Orlowski, 2020) · Our Planet (Alastair Fothergill & Keith Scholey, 2019)
Editorial tone
High-concept, gripping, binge-ready. Netflix documentaries must hook in the first 5 minutes and hold for the entire runtime. Tone varies widely by genre — from the breathless tension of a true-crime t
Paramount Plus Documentary
Recent productions
The Real Criminal Minds (2022) · Never Seen Again (seit 2022) · I Love You, You Hate Me (Tommy Avallone, 2022)
Editorial tone
Gripping, accessible, event-oriented. Paramount+ positions documentary content as complement to strong CBS News heritage and Showtime/Smithsonian Channel catalogues. Tone varies: True Crime told with
Pbs American Experience
Recent productions
The Vietnam War (Ken Burns & Lynn Novick, 2017) · The Eugenics Crusade (Michelle Ferrari, 2018) · McCarthy (Sharon Grimberg, 2020)
Editorial tone
Narrative, gripping, historically precise. American Experience tells US history not as a lesson, but as a living story. The tone is respectful toward historical figures, but never romanticizing. Compl
Pbs Frontline
Recent productions
United States of Secrets (2014) · The Facebook Dilemma (2018) · Policing the Police (2016)
Editorial tone
Sober, precise, incorruptible. Frontline is long-form investigative journalism — not opinion, but fact-based reporting. Tone is serious, never sensationalist. Power lies in the accumulation of evidenc
Pbs Independent Lens
Recent productions
Dark Money (Kimberly Reed, 2018) · Won't You Be My Neighbor? (Morgan Neville, 2018) · Crip Camp (Jim LeBrecht & Nicole Newnham, 2020)
Editorial tone
Engaged, human, thoughtful. Independent Lens shows independent documentaries that tell social questions through the eyes of real people. Tone is warm but never sentimental. Films take time to hold com
Pbs Nova
Recent productions
The Planets (2019) · Quantum Leap (2024) · Arctic Sinkholes (2022)
Editorial tone
Wonder-driven, explanatory, visually opulent. NOVA makes complex science accessible without trivializing it. Tone is curious and enthusiastic, never silly. Scientists shown as people, not talking head
Pbs Pov
Recent productions
Tongues Untied (Marlon Riggs, 1989) · My Brooklyn (Kelly Anderson, 2012) · The Feeling of Being Watched (Assia Boundaoui, 2018)
Editorial tone
Personal, bold, uncomfortable. POV (Point of View) shows documentaries from a first-person perspective or with strong personal authorship. The tone is intimate, often angry, always authentic. POV give
Showtime Documentary
Recent productions
Fahrenheit 9/11 (Michael Moore, 2004) · The Kingmaker (Lauren Greenfield, 2019) · Dexter Jackson: All American (2023)
Editorial tone
Bold, opinionated, cinematic. Showtime Documentary Films produces documentaries with a point of view — films are allowed to take sides, provoke, and make audiences uncomfortable. The tone is more dire
Smithsonian Channel
Recent productions
Air Disasters (seit 2011) · Secrets: Smithsonian (seit 2017) · America's Hidden Stories (seit 2019)
Editorial tone
Informative, wonder-driven, scientifically solid. Smithsonian Channel combines the authority of the Smithsonian Institution with accessible storytelling. Tone is more serious than History Channel or D
Vice Docs
Recent productions
The Islamic State (Medyan Dairieh, 2014) · Cannibal Warlords of Liberia (2012) · The Toxic World of Tanning (2023)
Editorial tone
Raw, immersive, disrespectful. Vice documentaries throw the viewer into the middle of the action — embedded journalism on steroids. The tone is subjective, often provocative, never neutral. The report
Abc Australia Four Corners
Recent productions
Four Corners: The Killing Season (2015) · Four Corners: Cash Cows (Internationale Studenten, 2019) · Four Corners: Big Deal (Politische Spenden, 2022)
Editorial tone
Incorruptible, thorough, authoritative. Four Corners is Australia's longest-running and most influential investigative TV format — on air since 1961. Tone is serious, factual, evidence-based. The prog
Aljazeera Fault Lines
Recent productions
Fault Lines: Police Brutality in America (2020) · Fault Lines: The Eviction Machine (2021) · Fault Lines: Standing Rock (2017)
Editorial tone
Critical, systemic, counter-hegemonic. Fault Lines is Al Jazeera's investigative format with exclusive focus on the USA — America viewed through the lens of an international broadcaster. The tone is a
Aljazeera Witness
Recent productions
Witness: Silas (Anjali Nayar, 2017) · Witness: My Mother's Sari (2022) · Witness: The Struggle for Water (2023)
Editorial tone
Human, independent, Global South perspectives. Al Jazeera Witness shows documentaries that tell stories the Western mainstream ignores. Tone is empathetic and respectful — protagonists tell their own
Ard Weltspiegel
Recent productions
Weltspiegel: Ukraine — Leben im Krieg · Weltspiegel: Indiens vergessene Kinder · Weltspiegel: Brasilien — Kampf um den Regenwald
Editorial tone
Reporter-driven, cosmopolitan, substantive. The correspondents on the ground are the face of the programme. Gripping images, personal encounters, contextualizing analysis. Never superficial, but not a
Ard Report Muenchen
Recent productions
Report Muenchen: Milliardengrab Maut · Report Muenchen: Bildungsmisere — Warum Bayerns Schulen kaempfen · Report Muenchen: Pflegenotstand auf dem Land
Editorial tone
Exposing, thorough, factual-critical. Report Muenchen investigates with Bavarian thoroughness and national-level ambition. Fact-based, clearly structured, no polemics. Host: Christian Nitsche. Tone is
Ard Story Im Ersten
Recent productions
Die Story im Ersten: Wirecard — Die Milliarden-Lüge · Die Story im Ersten: Die Cum-Ex-Files · Die Story im Ersten: Kampf um die Wahrheit
Editorial tone
Journalistically grounded, narratively dense. Major societal themes with clear perspective, but fair. Quality journalism with cinematic storytelling power. Can be uncomfortable.
Ard Fakt
Recent productions
Fakt: Betrug im Handwerk — Wenn der Klempner abzockt · Fakt: Unsichere Spielplaetze — Gefahr fuer Kinder · Fakt: Energiekosten — Wer zahlt die Rechnung?
Editorial tone
Close to citizens, everyday-oriented, exposing. Fakt investigates close to people's daily lives. Less capital politics, more lived experience. What does policy mean concretely for citizens? Consumer t
Ard Panorama
Recent productions
Panorama: Die Cum-Ex-Files · Panorama: Rechte Netzwerke in der Polizei · Panorama: Pflegenotstand — Wenn Profit vor Menschen geht
Editorial tone
Sharp, critical, investigative. Panorama exposes, uncovers, names names. No diplomatic tone — direct confrontation with those responsible. Thoroughly researched, legally watertight. The viewer should
Ard Kontraste
Recent productions
Kontraste: Rechte Netzwerke in Ostdeutschland · Kontraste: Berliner Clan-Strukturen · Kontraste: Geheime Absprachen im Bundestag
Editorial tone
Critical, high-contrast, provocative. Kontraste confronts political claims with reality — hence the name. Undercover investigations, scandal exposure, contrasting perspectives. Berlin directness and e
Ard Report Mainz
Recent productions
Report Mainz: Milliardengeschaeft Pflege — Wer profitiert? · Report Mainz: Mietwucher — Wie Konzerne den Markt beherrschen · Report Mainz: Bildungsluecke — Warum Schulen scheitern
Editorial tone
In-depth, exposing, tenacious. Report Mainz wants to find the "truth behind it". Thorough research that goes beyond the surface. Factual in tone, but uncompromising on substance. Pieces dig into struc
Ard Monitor
Recent productions
Monitor: Die Macht der Algorithmen · Monitor: Steuervermeidung — Wie Konzerne den Staat betruegen · Monitor: Pflegebetrug — Milliarden fuer Phantompatienten
Editorial tone
Hard-hitting research, occasionally satirical edge. Monitor doesn't pull punches. Investigative down to the detail, with clear editorial stance. Abuses not just named but documented with evidence. Som
Arte Abenteuer Der Menschheit
Recent productions
Die großen Entdecker — Auf den Spuren von Marco Polo · Das Geheimnis der Kelten · Die Seidenstraße — Auf den Spuren alter Handelswege
Editorial tone
Epic, narrative, personified. Grand human history made tangible through individual fates. Marveling at the achievements of past civilizations, but never romanticizing. Spectacular in staging, grounded
Arte Documania
Recent productions
Romy Schneider — Die zwei Gesichter einer Frau · David Bowie — Der Mann, der die Welt veränderte · Helmut Newton — Frames from the Edge
Editorial tone
Accessible, narrative, character-driven. The personality at the centre — their life, contradictions, impact. Neither hagiographic nor investigative exposé. Respectful but honest. New images and new pe
Arte Donnerstagsdoku
Recent productions
Tchernobyl — Die Nacht, die alles veränderte · Colonia Dignidad — Aus dem Innern einer deutschen Sekte · Flick — Die Geschichte eines deutschen Vermögens
Editorial tone
Emotional, story-driven, character-driven. In contrast to the analytical Tuesday history slot, this is about experiencing, not understanding. High popularity, primetime-ready. Stories that move, surpr
Arte Entdeckungen
Recent productions
Im Reich der Koguis — Der magische Río Buritaca · Von Menschen und Kuhfladen · Der unbekannte Atlantik — Buckelwale vor Westafrika
Editorial tone
Immersive, sensory, narrative. The viewer should BE THERE, not have something EXPLAINED. Television language that creates images in the mind. Short sentences. Active verbs. Wondering, but not naive. S
Arte Geopolitik
Recent productions
Die Macht der Geheimdienste · Chinas neue Seidenstraße — Masterplan für eine neue Weltordnung · Erdogans Traum — Die Türkei zwischen Europa und Asien
Editorial tone
Analytical, factual, contextualizing. Explain political and geopolitical connections, don't emotionalize. Deliver historical background and international comparisons. The analytical perspective is par
Arte Geschichte
Recent productions
Krieg der Träume — 1918-1939 · Europas Muslime — Geschichte und Gegenwart · Wer hat Angst vor Alice Schwarzer?
Editorial tone
Analytical, contextualizing, serious. History as key to understanding the present. Sober, but never dry. Source-based, with room for witnesses and personal memory. Nuanced in presentation, no black-an
Arte Grosser Dokumentarfilm
Recent productions
Kreuzweg — Stations of the Cross · Ai Weiwei — Human Flow · Buena Vista Social Club
Editorial tone
Cinematic, auteur-driven, distinctive. ARTE's documentary flagship. Exceptional dramaturgy and personal signature. Wide thematic range — from the intimate to the geopolitical. Cinematic in the best se
Arte History Light
Recent productions
Geheimnisvolle Orte · Krieg und Holocaust — Der deutsche Abgrund · Die Europa-Saga
Editorial tone
Narrative, accessible, not academic. History told through stories.
Arte Popkultur
Recent productions
Summer of Soul · Die Geschichte des Hip-Hop · Mythos Concorde — Überschall und Absturz
Editorial tone
Emotional, provocative, entertaining. Popular and mass culture since the 1960s. Character-driven — portraits of icons and movements. Celebrates pop culture without being uncritical. Energetic, visuall
Arte Re
Recent productions
Re: Pflegekräfte am Limit · Re: Wohnen in der Krise · Re: Europas junge Farmer
Editorial tone
Protagonist- and antagonist-driven. Subjective, against the grain. Visually strong with closed narrative arc. European themes told through concrete examples. Solution perspective — not just showing pr
Arte Reportage
Recent productions
ARTE Reportage — Spezial Ukraine · ARTE Reportage — Im Herzen Europas · ARTE Reportage — Flucht über das Mittelmeer
Editorial tone
Journalistic, current, perspective-driven. THE news magazine of ARTE. Franco-German perspective on world events. Journalistic angle — not features, not auteur films. Clear, direct, informative. Europe
Arte Thema Am Dienstag
Recent productions
Die Recycling-Lüge · Glyphosat — Wie krank macht Monsanto? · Steueroase Europa
Editorial tone
Investigative, committed, analytical. Social, political and ecological topics in depth. European and global perspective. Can be reactive to current debates. Journalistic rigour with documentary ambiti
Arte Wissenschaft
Recent productions
Unser Hirn ist, was es isst · Xenius — Die Wissens-Sendung von ARTE · Die Macht der Viren
Editorial tone
Engaging, factual, humorous. Make science accessible without dumbing down. Never dramatizing or alarmist. Topicality and practical relevance come first. Social and ethical aspects of research are cons
Arte Wunderwelten
Recent productions
Die Hirtennomaden der Sahara · Japan — Leben zwischen Tradition und Moderne · Inselleben — Geschichten vom Rand Europas
Editorial tone
Emotional, protagonist-centered, warm-hearted. Journey of discovery into European and non-European lifeworlds. People and their environment at the center. Clear dramaturgy: "The day that changed my li
Arte Zu Tisch
Recent productions
Zu Tisch in der Provence · Zu Tisch im Alentejo · Zu Tisch in Oberbayern
Editorial tone
Sensual, warm-hearted, unhurried. Culinary traditions as a window into European ways of life. No studio atmosphere, no cooking show. Authentic people in their own environment — farmers, winemakers, si
Bbc Arena
Recent productions
Arena: David Bowie — Five Years (Francis Whately, 2013) · Arena: Orson Welles — The One Man Band (1995) · Arena: Amy (Asif Kapadia, started as Arena project)
Editorial tone
Essayistic, cinephile, culturally deep. Arena is the BBC's longest-running arts documentary strand (since 1975). Author-driven, visually ambitious, often portrait-based. Respects its audience — no dum
Bbc Horizon
Recent productions
The Secret Life of the Cat (2013) · Is Everything We Know About the Universe Wrong? (2010) · Clean Eating — The Dirty Truth (2017)
Editorial tone
Accessible, wonder-driven, intellectually stimulating. Horizon makes complex science comprehensible for a mass audience without dumbing down. The tone is never academic, but curious and exploratory. H
Bbc Louis Theroux
Recent productions
Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends (1998-2000) · Louis Theroux: Forbidden America (2022) · Louis Theroux: By Reason of Insanity (2015)
Editorial tone
Intimate, disarming, uncomfortably close. Louis Theroux's trademark is the apparent naivety with which he approaches his protagonists. He asks simple questions that cut to the bone. He doesn't judge e
Bbc Natural World
Recent productions
Planet Earth III (BBC NHU, 2023) · Frozen Planet II (BBC NHU, 2022) · Blue Planet II (BBC NHU, 2017)
Editorial tone
Awestruck, poetic, scientifically grounded. The BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol has defined the global standard for natural history filmmaking for decades. The storytelling combines scientific pre
Bbc Panorama
Recent productions
FIFA: Football, Pair and Greed (2010-2015) · PPE: The Pandemic Profits Scandal (2021) · The VIP Paedophile Ring: What the Police Missed (2015)
Editorial tone
Hard, factual, incorruptible. Panorama is the BBC's sharpest investigative weapon and the world's oldest current-affairs format (since 1953). Tone is serious but not dry — stories become tangible thro
Bbc Storyville
Recent productions
For Sama (Waad Al-Kateab, 2019) · The Imposter (Bart Layton, 2012) · Searching for Sugar Man (Malik Bendjelloul, 2012)
Editorial tone
Cinematic, auteur-driven, emotionally deep. Storyville shows documentaries that would hold up in a cinema. The narrative is rigorously structured — not a TV explainer format, but narrative film. Perso
Cbc The Fifth Estate
Recent productions
The Fifth Estate: The Fentanyl Crisis (2019) · The Fifth Estate: Who Killed Barry Sherman? (2019) · The Fifth Estate: The Accused (Jian Ghomeshi, 2014)
Editorial tone
Thorough, fair, but relentless. The Fifth Estate is Canada's leading investigative TV format — the Canadian equivalent of BBC Panorama and PBS Frontline. The tone is serious, fact-based, and trustwort
Ct Dokument
Recent productions
Nothing Like Before (Klara Tasovska, 2017) · Caught in the Net (Barbora Chalupova & Vit Klusak, 2020) · A New Shift (Jindrich Andrs, 2020)
Editorial tone
Cinematic, contemplative, narratively ambitious. CT Dokument is Czech Television's documentary film strand for high-end auteur documentary. The Czech documentary film tradition — from the Czechoslovak
Ct Reporteri
Recent productions
Reporteri CT: Babisovy dotace (Babis' Subventionen, 2019) · Reporteri CT: Pandora Papers — ceske stopy (2021) · Reporteri CT: Korupce na radnici (Korruption im Rathaus, 2022)
Editorial tone
Thorough, factual, fearless. Reportéři ČT is the most important investigative format on Czech television — the journalistic conscience of the Czech Republic. Tone is serious and fact-based. The progra
Channel4 Cutting Edge
Recent productions
Cutting Edge: The Family (2024) · Cutting Edge: The Tower Block (2022) · Cutting Edge: One Born Every Minute (2010-2019)
Editorial tone
Intimate, observational, predominantly uncontrolled. Cutting Edge is Channel 4's platform for observational documentary — films that capture real life without staging it. The camera observes patiently
Channel4 Dispatches
Recent productions
Undercover: Britain's Social Care Scandal (2022) · Amazon: What They Know About Us (2020) · Undercover in the Care Home (2023)
Editorial tone
Exposé, confrontational, partisan for the consumer. Dispatches is Channel 4's investigative spearhead — more combative and populist than BBC Panorama. The tone is direct and accessible: Dispatches doe
Channel4 True Stories
Recent productions
The Imposter (Bart Layton, 2012) · The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer, 2012) · Notes on Blindness (Peter Middleton & James Spinney, 2016)
Editorial tone
Bold, boundary-pushing, narratively ambitious. Channel 4 True Stories shows feature-length documentary films that challenge, surprise, and move. The slot stands for films that push limits — in content
Channel4 Unreported World
Recent productions
Congo: The Children Who Mine Our Phones (2022) · Myanmar: The Resistance (2022) · Yemen: Britain's Hidden War (2019)
Editorial tone
Frontline, bold, human. Unreported World sends reporters where others don't go — or have long since left. The tone is direct and unvarnished, but never voyeuristic. The reporters are visible and part
Channel5 Documentary
Recent productions
The Queen: Inside the Crown (2021) · Britain's Greatest Bridges with Rob Bell (2020) · Anne Boleyn: The Final 24 Hours (2017)
Editorial tone
Accessible, entertaining, presenter-led. Channel 5 relies on presenter-led documentaries — a recognizable face guides the story. Tone is inviting and popular, not superficial. The programme aims to in
Dr Dokumentar
Recent productions
Armadillo (Janus Metz, 2010 — Cannes Grand Prix de la Semaine de la Critique) · The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer, Koproduktion mit DR, 2012) · At kende sandheden (Die Wahrheit kennen — DR Dokumentar, 2019)
Editorial tone
Cinematic, narrative, profound. DR Dokumentar stands for documentary storytelling at cinema level — films that play festivals and still reach a TV audience of millions. The tone is observational, resp
Kino Kurzdoku
Recent productions
The Distant Barking of Dogs (Simon Lereng Wilmont) · Night Ride (Eirik Tveiten) · Do Not Split (Anders Hammer)
Editorial tone
Concentrated, condensed, to the point. The short film forces you to the essence — no room for detours, every shot must land. Often more radical than the feature: formally bolder, thematically sharper,
France2 Envoye Special
Recent productions
Envoyé spécial: Glyphosate — l'herbicide qui sème le trouble (2019) · Envoyé spécial: Deliveroo, Uber — la dictature des algorithmes (2021) · Envoyé spécial: EHPAD — les secrets d'un scandale (2022)
Editorial tone
Investigative, hard-hitting, accessible. Envoyé spécial is France 2's flagship investigative journalism strand. Exposés, hidden camera, confrontation interviews. Tone is serious but approachable — no
France2 Infrarouge
Recent productions
Les Femmes du Bus 678 (Infrarouge, 2014) · Femmes de chambre — Hôtel de luxe (2018) · À l'école des chances (2019)
Editorial tone
Bold, close-up, socially relevant. Infrarouge shows the reality behind the headlines — no voyeurism, but no whitewashing. Socially critical gaze that takes those affected seriously and gives them spac
France5 Le Monde En Face
Recent productions
Le Monde en Face: Hôpital public — la fracture (2020) · Le Monde en Face: Féminicides — la loi du silence (2021) · Le Monde en Face: École — le grand fossé (2019)
Editorial tone
Engaged, analytical, close to people. Le Monde en Face shows social realities from the perspective of those affected and contextualizes them journalistically. The tone is neither accusatory nor voyeur
Itv Exposure
Recent productions
Exposure: The Other Side of Jimmy Savile (2012) · Exposure: Undercover Cop (2022) · Exposure: Grenfell — The Untold Story (2018)
Editorial tone
Accessible, exposé-driven, audience-facing. ITV Exposure combines investigative journalism with emotional storytelling — the story is made tangible through those affected. Tone is less academic than B
Kino Dokumentarfilm
Recent productions
20.000 Arten von Bienen (Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren) · Everything Will Change (Marten Persiel) · Walchensee Forever (Janna Ji Wonders)
Editorial tone
Radically author-driven. The director IS the film — signature, stance, worldview determine everything. No editorial mandates, no broadcast grid, no audience compromise. Formally free: essayistic, obse
Ndr 45 Min
Recent productions
45 Min: Die Pflegefalle · 45 Min: Wohnungsnot — Wenn Mieten arm macht · 45 Min: Bauern am Limit
Editorial tone
Journalistic, close to people, North German sober but not cold. Stories from people's lived reality. Clear stance without lecturing. Mix of reportage proximity and documentary depth.
Npo 2doc
Recent productions
2Doc: De Kinderen van Ruinerwold (Die Kinder von Ruinerwold) · 2Doc: Shadow Game (Fluechtlingskinder auf der Balkanroute) · 2Doc: My Neighbours (ueber Nachbarschaft in Amsterdam-Nieuw-West)
Editorial tone
Auteur-film quality. 2Doc shows high-end documentaries with strong artistic signature. Films can be observational, essayistic, or investigative — what matters is cinematic quality and depth of engagem
Npo Vpro Tegenlicht
Recent productions
Tegenlicht: De Deeleconomie (The Sharing Economy) · Tegenlicht: De Opkomst van het Algoritme (The Rise of the Algorithm) · Tegenlicht: Geld voor Niets (Money for Nothing — Grundeinkommen)
Editorial tone
Intellectual, forward-looking, optimistic-critical. Tegenlicht takes a major global trend and examines it through a Dutch/European lens. Essay style with strong authorial voice. No fear of big ideas a
Nrk Brennpunkt
Recent productions
Brennpunkt: Olje for klima — Norges dobbeltmoral (2019) · Brennpunkt: Barnevernet — barn som forsvinner (2017) · Brennpunkt: Lakseeventyret — den skjulte kostnaden (2020)
Editorial tone
Thorough, factual, impactful. Brennpunkt is NRK's flagship for investigative and analytical documentary. The tone is typically Norwegian: sober, fact-based, no sensationalism — but with clear impact.
Nrk Folkeopplysningen
Recent productions
Folkeopplysningen: Kan du stole på hjernen din? (Kannst du deinem Gehirn trauen?, 2016) · Folkeopplysningen: Alternativ medisin — virker det? (Alternative Medizin, 2018) · Folkeopplysningen: Fysikkens magi (Die Magie der Physik, 2015)
Editorial tone
Entertaining, experimental, tongue-in-cheek. Andreas Wahl turns science into a physical experience — he risks his own body to demonstrate natural laws. Tone is humorous and approachable, but never sil
Orf Am Schauplatz
Recent productions
Am Schauplatz: Arm und abgehaengt · Am Schauplatz: Willkommen in Oesterreich (Migration) · Am Schauplatz: Leben am Rand — Obdachlos in Wien
Editorial tone
Observational, close to people, unvarnished. Am Schauplatz shows Austrian reality without embellishment and without denunciation. The camera is silent observer, not commentator. Respectful toward prot
Orf Dok1
Recent productions
Dok 1: Wie krank macht uns Stress? · Dok 1: Das Geschaeft mit dem Wohnen · Dok 1: Digital Detox — Offline ueberleben
Editorial tone
Accessible, curious, personally investigative. Dok 1 is presented by host Lisa Gadenstätter, who immerses herself in topics — as test subject, as questioner, as affected person. Tone is approachable a
Rai Presa Diretta
Recent productions
Presa Diretta: Terra dei Fuochi — Il prezzo della salute (2014) · Presa Diretta: ILVA — La fabbrica della paura (2016) · Presa Diretta: Pesticidi — Veleni a tavola (2019)
Editorial tone
Investigative, committed, unflinching. Riccardo Iacona guides through complex topics with authority and empathy. Presa Diretta combines investigative research with affected-person perspective. Tone is
Rai Report
Recent productions
Report: Il sistema Guilmi — corruzione in Abruzzo (2018) · Report: Ndrangheta Spa — i soldi della mafia al Nord (2019) · Report: Il caso ENI — petrolio e tangenti in Nigeria (2020)
Editorial tone
Confrontational, meticulously researched, fearless. Report under Sigfrido Ranucci is the sharpest investigative format on Italian television. No compromises, no deference to the powerful. Every claim
Rtbf Doc Shot
Recent productions
Doc Shot: Congo Lucha (Marlene Rabaud, 2020) · Doc Shot: Lola vers la mer (Laurent Micheli, 2019) · Doc Shot: Les enfants du hasard (Thierry Michel, 2017)
Editorial tone
Author-driven, committed, cinematic. Doc Shot is RTBF's documentary film strand for ambitious documentaries. The slot offers space for auteur films with a strong personal signature. Tone is serious an
Rtbf Investigation
Recent productions
#Investigation: Les milliards perdus de l'Etat belge (2022) · #Investigation: PFAS — la contamination invisible (2023) · #Investigation: Drogue — les nouvelles routes (2023)
Editorial tone
Thorough, accessible, Belgian-francophone. #Investigation is RTBF's investigative flagship — RTBF's answer to French Envoyé Spécial. The tone combines francophone journalistic tradition with Belgian t
Rte Prime Time
Recent productions
Prime Time Investigates: Behind Closed Doors (Pflege-Missbrauch) · Prime Time Investigates: The Great Irish Sell-Off (Wohnungskrise) · Prime Time Investigates: Mission to Prey (Missbrauch in der Kirche)
Editorial tone
Investigative, tenacious, public interest. Prime Time Investigates is Irish television's journalistic heavyweight. The films expose wrongdoing, challenge power structures, and give voice to the voicel
Rtp Grande Reportagem
Recent productions
Grande Reportagem: Os Retornados (Die Rueckkehrer aus den Kolonien) · Grande Reportagem: Portugal Emigrante (Portugiesische Emigration) · Grande Reportagem: Angola — 50 Anos Depois
Editorial tone
Serious, thorough, cosmopolitan. Grande Reportagem is the flagship documentary format of Portuguese public television. Films combine journalistic rigour with narrative depth. Thematically broad — from
Rts Temps Present
Recent productions
Temps Present: Les dossiers noirs du Vatican (2023) · Temps Present: Credit Suisse — la chute (2023) · Temps Present: Pesticides — le poison de la terre (2020)
Editorial tone
Investigative, precise, tenacious. Temps Present has been the investigative flagship of French-speaking Switzerland since 1969. The programme exposes abuses, questions power, and gives voice to those
Sbs Australia Dateline
Recent productions
Dateline: Myanmar — The People's Revolution (2022) · Dateline: Afghanistan — After the Fall (2022) · Dateline: Pacific Islands — Rising Seas (2023)
Editorial tone
Worldly, human, nuanced. SBS Dateline is Australia's only regular international current affairs format — a window to the world for a multicultural Australian audience. The tone is direct and unvarnish
Sky Documentaries
Recent productions
The Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (2023) · Savile: Portrait of a Predator (2022) · Super League: The War for Football (2023)
Editorial tone
Premium, cinematic, suspenseful. Sky Documentaries positions itself as the British answer to HBO Documentary Films — high-end documentary films and series for a demanding pay-TV audience. Tone varies
Srf Dok
Recent productions
SRF DOK: Bergbauern — Ueberleben am Steilhang · SRF DOK: Die Schweizer Migranten — Auswandern und Ankommen · SRF DOK: Rohstoff — Das schmutzige Geschaeft der Schweiz
Editorial tone
Careful, balanced, in-depth. SRF DOK combines Swiss precision with emotional storytelling. Films take time to research thoroughly and present nuanced narratives. No sensationalism, no lecturing. Multi
Srf Reporter
Recent productions
SRF Reporter: Allein auf der Alp — Ein Sommer ueber der Baumgrenze · SRF Reporter: Neustart mit 50 — Wenn der Job weg ist · SRF Reporter: Mein Kind ist anders
Editorial tone
Personal, close, direct. SRF Reporter tells stories of individual people — authentic, respectful, no pathos. The 30-minute format demands economical storytelling with clear focus on one or a few prota
Svt Uppdrag Granskning
Recent productions
Uppdrag granskning: IKEAs skatteparadis (IKEAs Steuerparadies, 2016) · Uppdrag granskning: Pandora Papers — svenska kopplingar (2021) · Uppdrag granskning: Gängvåldet — systemets misslyckande (2022)
Editorial tone
Meticulous, factual, incorruptible. Uppdrag granskning is Sweden's most important investigative format — the journalistic conscience of the nation. Tone is sober-Scandinavian: no sensationalism, metho
Svt Vetenskapens Varld
Recent productions
Vetenskapens värld: Hjärnans hemligheter (Die Geheimnisse des Gehirns, 2019) · Vetenskapens värld: Klimatkrisen — vad säger forskningen? (2020) · Vetenskapens värld: Tarmen — din dolda superkraft (Der Darm, 2021)
Editorial tone
Accessible, curious, rigorous. Vetenskapens värld makes science comprehensible for a broad Swedish audience — without dumbing down. Tone is factual-enthusiastic: science as adventure, not lecture. Com
Vrt Pano
Recent productions
Pano: De PFOS-vervuiling door 3M (Die PFAS-Kontamination, 2021) · Pano: Cocainehaven Antwerpen (Kokainhafen Antwerpen, 2022) · Pano: De wooncrisis (Die Wohnungskrise, 2023)
Editorial tone
Thorough, factual, Flemish-pragmatic. Pano is VRT's investigative flagship — the Flemish counterpart to RTBF #Investigation. Tone is sober and evidence-based, with a typically Flemish pragmatism: abus
Wdr Menschen Hautnah
Recent productions
Menschen hautnah: Mama trinkt — Kinder zwischen Liebe und Verzweiflung · Menschen hautnah: Neustart mit 50 — Wenn das alte Leben nicht mehr passt · Menschen hautnah: Mein Sohn, der Neonazi
Editorial tone
Empathetic, respectful, close. Menschen hautnah tells private life stories with deep empathy. No voyeurism — genuine interest in the person. The camera is present without intruding. Silent moments are
Yle Documentary
Recent productions
Aalto (Virpi Suutari, 2020) · The Happiest People on Earth (Jukka Karkkainen, 2010) · Aatos ja Amine (Jasmin Tsopela, 2022)
Editorial tone
Quiet, deep, visually strong. Finnish documentaries have their own tradition — they take time, observe patiently, trust the power of images. YLE Documentary supports films that reflect the Finnish vie
Yle Moi
Recent productions
MOT: Veronkierto Suomessa (Steuerhinterziehung in Finnland, 2021) · MOT: Pandoran paperit (Pandora Papers, 2021) · MOT: Hoitajakriisi (Die Pflegekrise, 2022)
Editorial tone
Meticulous, factual, Nordic-sober. MOT is Finland's most important investigative TV format — the Finnish equivalent of SVT's Uppdrag granskning. The tone is calm but relentless. Facts are presented me
Zdf 37 Grad Leben
Recent productions
37 Grad Leben: Mein Koerper gehoert mir · 37 Grad Leben: Zwischen Glaube und Zweifel · 37 Grad Leben: Wenn die Eltern zerbrechen
Editorial tone
Personal, relatable, experimental. The narrative follows young people in existential situations. No didactic posture — instead: listening, empathy, giving space. May be told poetically, fragmentarily,
Zdf 37 Grad
Recent productions
37°: Wenn die Seele streikt · 37°: Leben auf der Straße · 37°: Schuften bis zum Umfallen
Editorial tone
Close, empathetic, observational. People and their stories at the centre. Not voice-over journalism — storytelling through accompaniment. Emotional, not voyeuristic.
Zdf Terra X
Recent productions
Terra X: Ein perfekter Planet · Terra X: Faszination Erde · Terra X: Die Reise der Menschheit
Editorial tone
Enlightenment and reason. Open and curious. Fascinating and surprising, but never didactic or banal. Fun, gripping, entertaining. Transports emotion and fascination. Accessible and low-threshold, but
Zdf Zeit
Recent productions
ZDFzeit: Die Tricks der Lebensmittelindustrie · ZDFzeit: Wie sicher ist Deutschland? · ZDFzeit: Nelson Mueller testet...
Editorial tone
Journalistic-analytical, fact-based, with clear editorial stance. Not didactic, but sharp in analysis. Confident narrative tone that makes complex connections comprehensible. May be pointed, never sen