Germany’s international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) will revamp its German-language TV service into a cultural channel in early 2017.
DW’s board welcomed the proposal by the broadcaster’s general director Peter Limbourg at its assembly in Berlin on June 24, 2016 through which the currently news-focused channel will gain a “distinctive cultural profile”, according to a DW statement.
Globally, around 180 million people speak German, the majority living in Europe. A study by DW’s market and media research department concluded that the current users of the German-language DW services are particularly interested in culture and arts as well as the German perspective on international issues.
Though intensified collaboration with ARD and ZDF, the new schedule of the German-language TV service will comprise a larger number documentaries and other programmes from the domestic public broadcasters. DW will provide short news throughout the day alongside original productions, for example regarding arts, culture, music and lifestyle.
