The ARD has been the merger of the State Radio Centers for joint program development and distribution since June 9, 1950.
The ARD comprises nine state broadcasters and the German Welle and, together with ZDF and Deutschlandradio, forms the backbone of the German public service broadcast. The financing takes place via the broadcasting contribution, which is 18.36 euros per budget.
History of the ARD
The ARD was founded on June 9, 1950 by six independent radio stations (NWDR, HR, SWF, SDR, BR, RB) in order to represent common interests and to realize the first joint television programs. After reunification, the ARD also integrated the Eastern Institute (MDR, RBB) from 1990.
Organization and program: State Radio Center, radio and television programs
The Program offer The ARD is divided into linear television and radio programs as well as digital on-demand offers. The ARD runs its main television program with the first, which radiates news programs (e.g. Tagesschau), magazines and fictional formats. It is supplemented by twelve “common programs” such as One, Tagesschau24, ARD-Alpha, 3sat, Arte, Funk, Kika and Phoenix, some of which run in cooperation with ZDF or international partners.
The nine State Radio Center In addition, supervise your own third programs (e.g. WDR television, NDR television) that offer regional program and cultural offers.
- Bavarian Radio (BR)
- Hessischer Rundfunk (HR)
- Middle German broadcasting (MDR)
- North German Radio (NDR)
- Radio Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB)
- Saarland Rundfunk (SR)
- Südwestrundfunk (SWR)
- Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)
- Deutsche Welle (DW)
In the Radio the ARD operates more than 60 channels- from information waves (Deutschlandfunk) to music and youth broadcasters (Bayern 3, NDR 2).
Digital offers: ARD Mediathek
The ARD media library bundles live streams and on-demand content from all ARD programs as well as exclusive web formats and podcasts. ARD offers also reach mobile and younger target groups via apps, social media channels and smart TV integrations.
Well-known ARD programs
The programs of the ARD cover a wide range – from thriller and information to talk and entertainment to report and drama – and are fixed sizes in the ARD program. The best known programs include:
Planned transmitter portfolio reduction
ARD and ZDF are under growing pressure to consolidate their common range of transmitters from December 2025. The aim is to implement savings potential, to reduce double structures and to focus more on core issues such as news and culture.
Critical voices see a balancing act in this: On the one hand, resources could increasingly flow into digital and high-quality on-demand offers, on the other hand, threatens to neglect regional diversity and to reduce the public service profile.
