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Mass media: broadcasting
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Mass media: broadcasting
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Essentially designed along public service lines, German TV had two national channels and one regional channel until 1984. These are funded partly from advertising, partly from the state. Advertising is restricted to 20 minutes per day, between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Since 1984, satellite channels have been available. Coupled with the new market opened up by re-unification after 1989, this has meant that Germany has the fastest-growing advertising revenue in Europe. Development of satellite reception is very fast indeed.
ARD is made up of 11 independent stations in the state, of which WDR in Cologne and NDR in Hamburg provide the lion's share of the programming. The de-centralised structure was intended to prevent a recurrence of Goebbel's total control of broadcasting during the Nazi era.
ZDF is the second German TV channel started in 1963. Funded partly from advertising, partly from the licence fee. Despite restrictions, ZDF remains very attractive to advertisers. Nevertheless, this may be expected to change as access to satellite, which is expanding at enormous speed, continues to develop.
SAT-1 was launched in 1985. It is German owned, based in Mainz.
RTL+, another satellite channel, is mainly owned in Luxembourg by CLT and Ulfa. Originally pretty boring, its programming changed as a result of competition with SAT-1. The great majority of programmes are now bought in and there has been a fair amount of soft porn. There seems now to be a move away from that to more serious programming, though a large part of the advertising is of a mildly pornographic nature for chat lines and contact bureaux.
Tele-5, a youth-oriented satellite channel, showing pop videos and sport, is part-owned by the Italian media magnate, Berlusconi, like the French TF1.
PRO-7, another satellite channel targeting teenagers to those in early middle age, is run by the son of Leo Kirch, who is part-owner of SAT-1.
Types of broadcasting system
De Fleur's model of the taste-differentiated audience
Public Service broadcasting
Broadcasting in the EU
Broadcasting in France
Broadcasting in Holland
Broadcasting in Italy
Broadcasting in the UK
Regulation of the media in the UK
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