Deutschlandradio (DLR; lit. 'Radio Germany') is a national German public radio broadcaster.
 | |
 Headquarters in Cologne | |
| Type | Public-service sound broadcasting |
|---|---|
| Country | Germany |
Broadcast area | National |
| Headquarters | Cologne |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | German |
| Ownership | |
Key people | Stefan Raue, Chairman |
| History | |
| Launch date | 1994 |
| Coverage | |
| Stations |
|
| Links | |
| Webcast | List of streams |
| Website | www |
History
editDeutschlandfunk
editDeutschlandfunk was founded 1962 in Cologne as a national program to provide critical West-German radio, primarily to the citizens of the GDR. The programm was broacasted via short, medium and long waves.[1] Listeners were also within West Germany as well as in neighbouring countries.
Deutschlandfunk was an invention of Konrad Adenauer. The start of broadcasting was preceded by a years-long dispute between the CDU Chancellor and the federal states. Because in Germany, broadcasting is a matter of the federal states. In 1959, Adenauer presented a bill to establish three federal broadcasting companies: Deutschlandfunk, Deutsche Welle and Deutschland-Fernsehen (Germany-TV). The Federal Constitutional Court stopped Adenauer's television plans. Radio, on the other hand, was permitted as a federal institution. The mission had to be clearly defined: Deutschlandfunk was supposed to convey a comprehensive picture of the Federal Republic to other European countries, but above all preserve the idea of reunification. Initially it was broadcast on medium wave with a transmitter with just 70 kW over two frequencies. Within twelve months, however, the number of employees grew from 71 to almost 300, while the technology was rapidly expanded.[2]
East German counterpart was Deutschlandsender. The Deutschlandsender began the airwave battle very early on, in October 1948, while still in the Soviet Occupied Zone (SBZ). Other medium and long wave transmitters were added later.[3]
DS Kultur and RIAS Berlin
editDeutschlandfunk Kultur is the result of a merger of West Berlin's RIAS station and East Berlin's DS Kultur after German reunification.[4] Both networks that used to broadcast mainly on the AM bands have since spread throughout Germany, having been allocated many additional FM transmitters. However, because of lack of analogue frequencies, during 2003 Deutschlandradio changed its distribution strategy to digital terrestrial transmission.
Deutschlandradio
editAfter reunification in 1990, the DLF lost its original mission. Nevertheless, the 16 federal states agreed to continue operating Deutschlandfunk and former GDR Deutschlandsender and RIAS Berlin as DeutschlandRadio from 1994 under the public umbrella of ARD and ZDF.[2]
Stations
editDeutschlandradio operates four national networks:[5][6]
- Deutschlandfunk: mainly news and information
- Deutschlandfunk Kultur: culture in a broader sense
- Deutschlandfunk Nova: aimed at young adults, mainly spoken-word
- Dokumente und Debatten: opt-out channel, often for special events
Dokumente und Debatten is a digital-only special-event channel. It broadcasts coverage of the federal parliament, sports events, talk shows and shipping forecasts. Many of the talk shows are rebroadcasts of the audio portions of TV shows made by ARD, ZDF or Phoenix.[7] It uses digital frequencies of both Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandfunk Kultur.
Deutschlandfunk Nova is knowledge orientated station, started in 2010 as DRadio Wissen, targeting a younger audience, and broadcast only digitally – via satellite, cable, DAB, and online.
Deutschlandradio is based in Cologne, with some departments—including Deutschlandfunk Kultur—based in Berlin.
Structure and Branding
editDeutschlandradio (DLR) is a corporation under public law: It is supported by ARD and ZDF for the purpose of producing “nationwide radio programs”. All programs are free of advertising or sponsorship.[1]
On May 1 2017, DRadio Wissen was renamed Deutschlandfunk Nova, Deutschlandradio Kultur was renamed Deutschlandfunk Kultur.[8][9]
Distribution and transmitters
editThe three programs and the additional special event channel are all distributed terrestrially via Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB+) on a nation-wide single frequency network (SFN) in VHF channel 5C. The coverage at the end of 2019 is for portable indoor reception 85% of the population and for mobile reception 96% of the area of Germany or 99% of the highways respectively.
For an intermediate time the two programs Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandfunk Kultur are still transmitted in analog way via FM with an average coverage of 64% of the area. The switch over from analogue to digital started in 2015 with the switch-off of medium wave and long wave. In 2018/2019 first small-power FM transmitters were switched-off two. The aim is to further improve the digital terrestrial coverage of DAB+ and to reduce the analogue transmission step by step. For stationary reception the programs are also distributed via satellite on the transponder of ZDF.
Of course the programs are streamed via the internet and available on relevant platforms. Beside the linear programs extensive non-linear content is available via audio-on-demand (podcast, mediathek and various platforms). Deutschlandradio is also very active in social media networks in order to make the content available to all public.
Orchestras and choirs
editDeutschlandradio has a 40% share in Rundfunk Orchester und Chöre GmbH, a non-profit organisation which operates:[10][11]
- Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (East Berlin)
- Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
- Berlin Radio Choir
- RIAS Kammerchor
The other shareholders are the Federal Republic of Germany (35%), the State of Berlin (20%) and RBB (5%).
Logo history
edit- Development of the Deutschlandradio logo
-
Logo until March 2005 -
Logo until May 2010 -
Logo from June 2010 (from 2012: alternative Logo) -
Former icon (2012–2017) -
Logo until 30 April 2017 -
Logo since 1 May 2017
References
edit- ^ a b Zeitung, Stuttgarter. "Deutschlandfunk und Deutschlandradio Kultur: Radio, das sich noch lohnt". stuttgarter-zeitung.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ a b deutschlandfunk.de (2012-01-01). "Senden aus dem Provisorium". Deutschlandfunk (in German). Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ Redaktion (2003-01-10). "Facettenreich, nicht immer wertneutral". M - Menschen Machen Medien (ver.di) (in German). Retrieved 2024-10-30.
- ^ "Geschichten vom RIAS – Inspiriert vom amerikanischen Freiheitsversprechen". Deutschlandfunk Kultur (in German). 13 April 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ "Institution – Deutschlandradio –". miz.org (in German). 23 September 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ Schleider, Tim (16 October 2016). "Deutschlandfunk und Deutschlandradio Kultur: Radio, das sich noch lohnt". Stuttgarter Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ World Radio Television Handbook (WRTH), pp. 209–211, 2007 edition, and pp. 194–195, 2008 edition
- ^ "Deutschlandradio-Programme bekommen neue Namen". Die Welt (in German). 26 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ ""Wir brauchen eine klare Absendermarke"". Deutschlandfunk (in German). 13 April 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ "Rundfunk Orchester Chöre Theater aus Berlin in der Firmendatenbank wer-zu-wem.de". wer-zu-wem.de (in German). Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ "News – 18. Febr. 2009 – Mehr Geld für Rundfunk Orchester und Chöre GmbH Berlin". miz.org (in German). 18 February 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
Literature
edit- Klaus Arnold (2002): Kalter Krieg im Äther. Der Deutschlandsender und die Westpropaganda der DDR. LIT Verlag Münster-Hamburg-London, 2002. ISBN 3-8258-6180-5
External links
edit