In drei Tagen schließen fünf öffentlich-rechtliche TV-Sender dauerhaft

In a significant change announced by the public broadcaster ZDF, millions of households in Germany are required to review their reception methods and take action. The German television landscape has been evolving for years. While high-resolution image quality has become standard, some channels still hold onto outdated transmission formats. This double infrastructure incurs significant costs and ties up resources. Now, one of the largest public broadcasters is taking a decisive step that will reshape how millions of people watch TV.

Various standard-definition programs from the public broadcaster are being discontinued. ZDF will cease the broadcast of five channels in standard definition on November 18, 2025. The affected channels are ZDF, ZDFneo, ZDFinfo, 3sat, and KiKA. Following this change, the programs will only be available in high definition. The broadcaster justifies this decision as a responsible use of broadcasting fees and notes that almost all households can already receive HD.

To check your HD reception, follow these steps:
Step 1: Check your channel list Open your TV or receiver’s channel list. Do you see channels labeled “HD” (e.g., “ZDF HD,” “ARD HD”)? If so, you are already receiving in HD quality.
Step 2: Verify in the program guide Check the electronic program guide (EPG). Do you see channels labeled “SD” (e.g., “ZDF SD”)? If so, you are still using the outdated standard definition.
Step 3: Check the age of your devices TVs and receivers less than 10-12 years old usually have integrated HD receivers (DVB-S2 for satellite, DVB-C for cable, DVB-T2 for antenna).
Step 4: Conduct a channel search Initiate an automatic channel search through your device menu. Modern devices will find HD channels automatically.

According to the Astra TV Monitor 2024, 2.5 million households in Germany do not yet have the technical capability to receive HD television. These viewers will be particularly impacted by the change. Failure to make adjustments means they will no longer be able to watch the affected channels after the deadline. Commercial users such as hotels, hospitals, and elderly care facilities with older technology are especially affected.

Consumer experts point out that in most cases, a new TV is not necessary. For devices less than ten to twelve years old, a simple channel search through the menu is typically sufficient. Modern TVs come equipped with built-in HD receivers. Only very old technology would require a DVB-S2 receiver or a new device. HD reception itself does not incur additional costs for viewers.

This shutdown is part of a longer trend. Prior to this, several ARD regional channels like WDR, NDR, and BR had discontinued their SD channels. Private providers like QVC had also ceased operating in outdated quality. While RTL and other private channels continue their SD offerings for now, it’s likely that more channels will follow suit in the medium term. The technological advancements make the double broadcast increasingly uneconomical.