Deutschlandfunk

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Modern logo of Deutschlandfunk.
Modern logo of Deutschlandfunk.

Deutschlandfunk (DLF) is a German national information radio station.

Contents

[edit] History

Broadcasting in the Federal Republic of Germany is reserved under the Basic Law (constitution) to the Länder. This means that all public broadcasting is regionalised, although the regional broadcasters are not forbidden from forming national federations.

In the 1950s, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) began broadcasting its Deutschlandsender station on longwave. In response to this, the then-Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk applied for a licence to operate a similar longwave service. This was granted in 1956.

In 1960, the Federal government proved in court that, whilst broadcasting to Germany was a Länder responsibility, broadcasting from Germany could be seen as foreign affairs and thus reserved to the Federal government. The Federal government then created "Deutschlandfunk" as national broadcasting corporation, based in Cologne.

When the Norddeutscher Rundfunk's licence to broadcasting in on longwave expired, the Federal government took over the frequencies for Deutschlandfunk and began transmissions on 1 January 1962.

Unlike the foreign-language service Deutsche Welle, which was also born out of the NDR and became a member of the public-broadcasting consortium ARD, Deutschlandfunk broadcast in German, targeting the GDR and German-speaking minorities in Eastern Europe.

[edit] Post-reunification

Deutschlandfunk headquarters in Cologne, Germany.
Deutschlandfunk headquarters in Cologne, Germany.

After reunification, Deutsche Welle absorbed the GDR's external service, Radio Berlin International and took over Deutschlandfunk's few foreign language programmes. Deutschlandfunk's mandate to provide a service to the east lapsed. Rather than wind-up DLF, the company was transferred to the ARD and given a new contract to be Germany's national radio broadcaster.

The ARD divided the operations of Deutschlandfunk into two national services: Deutschlandradio Kultur providing a "Third Programme"-style high-culture service and Deutschlandfunk providing news and information.

The studio facilities remain at Cologne and the service remains free of advertising.

[edit] Programming

Deutschlandfunk's schedules are largely made up of news and documentaries, covering politics, economics and science. There is also some very limited music output.

[edit] News

Deutschlandfunk broadcasts a news programme on the hour and the half hour.

On weekdays, a morning news magazine is broadcast between 0500 and 0900 with frequent news bulletins. There are further news magazines broadcast between 1200 and 1800.

The main evening bulletin is at 2300.

[edit] Culture

On Sundays, a discussion programme is broadcast between 0930 and 1000, covering subjects as varied as Islam in Germany, neurophysiology and the history of art. These discussions are archived on the internet [1].

[edit] International cooperation

Deutschlandfunk provides programming for the German-language Belgian radio station BRF-DLF in Brussels. It also cooperates with the main Belgischer Rundfunk (BRF) domestic radio service for the East Cantons of Walonia, BRF1.

[edit] Transmitters

Transmiter near Ravensburg
Transmiter near Ravensburg

Until November 23rd, 1978 (until Waveplan of Geneva went valid), the program of Deutschlandfunk was transmitted on longwave from Sender Donebach and on mediumwave from Bad Dürrheim, Cremlingen, Ravensburg, Ehndorf and Mainflingen. With the validation of waveplan of Geneva Bad Dürrheim was shut down. In 1979 new transmitters in Erching for daytime transmission on longwave and in 1980/81 for mediumwave transmission in Nordkirchen and Thurnau went in service. On January 1st, 1989 the Aholming transmitter replaced Erching and allowed a 24 hour service on the second longwave frequency. On October 1st, 1994 Heusweiler transmitter, which was used until this date for transmitting the program of "Europawelle Saar", started with the transmission of the program of Deutschlandfunk. On December 31st, 1994 transmitter Mainflingen was shut down.

[edit] Longwave

[edit] Mediumwave

The mediumwave transmitters carry the Deutschlandfunk signal to most of Europe during the hours of darkness. With the exception of Heusweiler, they are owned by Deutsche Telekom AG.

[edit] References

  • Paulu, Burton Radio and Television Broadcasting on the European Continent Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1967; pp63-69; p187

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 50°54′10″N, 6°57′34″E

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