In September 2026, Cologne once again became a meeting place for the German television and media industry. As part of the 27th German Television Award, outstanding achievements in television and streaming were honored. The two Koelncongress venues — Flora Köln and Confex at Koelnmesse — provided the perfect setting, showcasing the award winners in an impressive way.
Flora Köln: The Creative Professionals in the Spotlight
The celebrations began on September 8 with the “Nacht der Kreativen” (Night of the Creatives), attended by around 200 guests. For the fourth consecutive year, the red carpet was rolled out for professionals working behind the scenes in the creative disciplines. In the festively decorated Festsaal of Flora Köln, the award winners took center stage.
Hosted by Jan Köppen, the event saw the presentation of the first Deutscher Fernsehpreis awards for outstanding achievements in areas including directing and writing, cinematography, editing, music, and production design.
Confex Cologne: From Convention Center to Glamorous TV Stage
The following evening, the Deutscher Fernsehpreis was presented at Confex for the first time.
Several days before the event, the impressive LED mesh installed on the building’s façade was already being used to display visuals. The exterior of Confex was spectacularly illuminated in the colors of the event, making the German Television Award visible from afar.
Under RTL’s rotating leadership, the awards ceremony took place as a major televised gala. The evening was hosted by Barbara Schöneberger. A total of 29 Deutscher Fernsehpreis awards were presented for outstanding productions and achievements during the 2025/26 television year.
Around 1,000 guests attended the gala, including North Rhine-Westphalia Minister-President Hendrik Wüst, honorary award recipient Peter Kloeppel, Stefan Raab, Anja Kling, Boris Becker, Laura Wontorra, Annette Frier, ESC winner Dara, Johannes B. Kerner, and Markus Lanz.
For the evening, the conference and exhibition center was transformed into a large television studio, demonstrating its remarkable versatility: from a convention venue into a glamorous TV stage featuring stars and prominent guests. A seemingly endless red carpet stretched across Confex’s iconic staircase and continued into the foyer, leading to the press wall.
Alongside the glamour and flashbulbs, there was also room for official occasions. The “Golden Hour” — the reception hosted by the Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Mayor of the City of Cologne prior to the awards ceremony — was held in rooms on the upper conference level of Confex.
Following the successful Confex premiere, guests gathered for the after-show event in the atmospherically decorated and illuminated foyer, where they continued the celebrations with a DJ and live music.
Around 10,000 Square Meters and Extensive Technical Equipment for a Tailor-Made Production
Around 10,000 square meters of event space at Confex were used for the German Television Award. The areas included the plaza and outdoor area, indoor event spaces and foyers, as well as the studio in Confex Hall.
The elaborate production required, among other things, 1,100 spotlights and 110 loudspeakers. The grandstand had a total load of 46,109 kilograms.
From Conference Rooms to Dressing Rooms and a Press Center
All available rooms were flexibly integrated into the event concept. Functional conference rooms were transformed into comfortable artist dressing rooms and rehearsal spaces, as well as a press center where numerous media representatives could follow the show live on large LED screens.
Seven Days of Setup for the Grand Gala
The entire setup, including the studio in Confex Hall, took seven days and involved a total of 13 shifts. Dismantling was completed within three days using five shifts.
Location Advantages and Flexible Usage Options
The Confex impressed the production team from Riverside Entertainment GmbH well in advance with its wide range of location advantages. First and foremost is its central location, which allows for easy and convenient access: Cologne Messe/Deutz railway station is just a few steps away, Cologne Cathedral is within sight, and numerous first-class hotels can be reached within minutes.
Confex also scored highly thanks to its logistical design for events with large numbers of guests. In addition, its modern, spacious architecture and existing technical infrastructure were important advantages. The numerous LED surfaces throughout the building played a particularly important role in this production, supporting guest communication and wayfinding.
Two Venues, One Shared Standard
Both events demonstrated how differently, yet equally effectively, the two Koelncongress venues can be used. Flora Köln provided a distinctive, personal, and elegant setting for honoring the creative professionals. Confex demonstrated its versatility by transforming from an event venue into a highly professional television stage.
Together, the two evenings impressively demonstrated what the venues and the Koelncongress teams can achieve: creating the right setting for events according to their individual character — from an elegant awards ceremony to a sophisticated, large-scale primetime gala.
With two evenings and two different venues, Koelncongress successfully highlighted two distinct facets of the Deutscher Fernsehpreis, putting each in exactly the right spotlight.
