Entertainment, done right – with data privacy in mind

Introduction

ITV Studios Germany GmbH, with locations in Cologne and Berlin, is an independent television production company and a subsidiary of the British media group ITV plc. Their portfolio spans a variety of formats, including popular shows like "Das perfekte Dinner" and "Ich bin ein Star – Holt mich hier raus!" as well as factual entertainment and fictional programming.

ITV Studios Germany handles substantial amounts of personal data, requiring sensitive data protection measures and secure processing. Since September 2023, the company has partnered with caralegal to ensure these standards are met. This collaboration was spearheaded by Juliane Kirchner, in-house counsel for ITV Studios Germany, who oversees their data protection compliance.

Challenge

From phone lists of casting participants to personal information of public figures and a vast array of applicant data, ITV Studios Germany handles large volumes of personal data across all departments every day. Ensuring compliant processing of this data is not only time-intensive but also requires a particularly sensitive approach.

“Data protection and maintaining our processing records have always been top priorities at ITV Studios Germany, especially given the amount of personal data involved across different formats,” says Juliane Kirchner. “When I started, however, our processing records were managed in a somewhat cumbersome way, stored in various Excel and Word files.”

In a bid to streamline data protection processes and alleviate the workload of those responsible, the company sought a more efficient solution. Moreover, ITV Studios Germany aimed to decentralize its data protection efforts and actively involve other departments.

“Our goal was not only to simplify and standardize but also to raise awareness of data protection and distribute these responsibilities across a broader team,” explains Kirchner.

Following a colleague's recommendation, Juliane Kirchner and her team tested caralegal’s data protection management software in September 2023. “We tried out the software, and it didn’t take long for us to be convinced,” she recounts.

Solution

With caralegal, ITV Studios Germany can capture and manage processing activities intuitively and collaboratively. For Juliane Kirchner, the main advantage lies in the platform's clear overview of processing operations. Thanks to automation, it’s much easier to identify key points and address them, especially when it comes to data protection impact assessments.

Another valuable aspect of caralegal’s data protection management software is its ability to distinguish between internal data used for enhanced oversight and data that would be relevant during an audit. This differentiation adds an extra layer of practicality and focus to their data protection efforts, streamlining compliance across the organization.

The data protection training sessions held during the caralegal implementation significantly heightened staff awareness about data processing. Now, ITV Studios Germany has adopted a more decentralized approach to data protection: in the casting department, IT, HR, and production, selected individuals have taken on responsibilities with caralegal. This broadens the management of the processing records and actively involves multiple team members. „At first, enthusiasm was mild. But any reservations quickly dissolved once the many advantages of caralegal became clear“ Juliane Kirchner recalls.

Another major benefit, she notes, is the ability for team members to communicate directly through caralegal to collaboratively ensure data protection. This has made her own work much easier, and she emphasizes that managing data protection at its current level would have been challenging without caralegal. The positive reception from the ITV Studios Germany team is clear, as the data protection management software has even earned a nickname: they affectionately refer to it as “Carola.”

Outlook

With the implementation of caralegal, ITV Studios Germany has established a structured approach to data protection management, streamlining the handling of extensive data. The decentralized data protection model is viewed not as a burden but as a clear benefit by the team. The system also fosters a deeper engagement with data protection management across departments.

„Our goal is to increase awareness around data protection among all team members, without everyone needing to be a data protection expert. caralegal plays a crucial role in making that possible,“, concludes Juliane Kirchner.