Christoph Wagner has been advising media and communications companies for more than 25 years on complex transactions and strategic regulatory matters, including market access and the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI).

He has advised on the acquisition and divestment of television broadcasters (including ProSiebenSat.1, Sky Deutschland, N24, VOX, TM3, and Das Vierte), major television rights packages (such as the UEFA Champions League, NFL, Bundesliga, and film and series packages), as well as cable network operators (Unitymedia, Tele Columbus, PrimaCom, pepcom) and mobile spectrum transactions (3G and 5G). He has also supported clients in the structuring of joint ventures (e.g., Visoon), a data single sign-on alliance (netID), and continues to advise on the market entry of leading video-on-demand (VoD) providers.

Christoph is an Honorary Professor at the University of Potsdam, where he teaches courses on digital platforms and artificial intelligence. He is a frequent speaker on media and communications topics and has published numerous articles and monographs, including on media concentration, digitalization, anti-piracy, cable consolidation, AI, and net neutrality.

Christoph heads Morrison Foerster’s global media practice.

He has been a notary public based in Berlin since 2000.

Representative Experience

• Deutsche Bahn on the Data Factory AI project regarding autonomous train control.

• Deutsche Bahn on the conception of an AI-controlled large language model.
• 1&1/United Internet on its initiative of funding a European netID foundation together with ProSiebenSat.1 and RTL.
• SoundCloud on the acquisition of AI platform Musiio.
• NFL on all aspects relating to matches and broadcasting rights in Germany.

• Viacom on the TV and video ad sales marketing joint venture Visoon with Axel Springer.
• Axel Springer SE, the leading German publishing company, on the acquisition of N24 Media GmbH, Germany’s largest independent news TV channel.
• Representation in a number of large media and telecom transactions, including Haim Saban’s acquisition of ProSiebenSat.1; NewsCorp’s acquisition and re-financing of Premiere/Sky Deutschland; NewsCorp’s acquisition of the TV stations Vox and Tm3 as well as the TV rights to the UEFA Champions League; STUDIOCANAL’s acquisition of Kinowelt and Tandem; the privatization of the Babelsberg Film Studios; and NBCU’s disposition of TV channel Das Vierte and the subsequent sale to Disney.