Deutschlandfunk initially operated as a West German news radio aimed at audiences within West Germany and neighboring countries. Deutschlandfunk Kultur was established following the reunification of Germany by merging West Berlin’s RIAS station and East Berlin’s DS Kultur. Deutschlandradio now runs four radio networks.
Media assets
Radio: Deutschlandfunk; Deutschlandfunk Kultur; Deutschlandfunk Nova; Dokumente und Debatten
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent Public (IP)
Ownership and governance
Deutschlandradio is a non-profit organization governed by the Deutschlandradio State Treaty, a document that establishes fundamental regulations for the organization and its supervisory body, the Radio and Administrative Board.
The Radio Council’s main governing body is composed of 45 members representing the federal states, the federal government, state associations, and socially relevant groups. The council’s responsibilities include approving broadcast guidelines and ensuring compliance with those guidelines as outlined in the state treaty.
Source of funding and budget
Deutschlandradio primarily funds its operations through a license fee, with a 2022 budget of €268.9m, €247.4m of which was from the license fee revenue. The license fee is collected to finance all public service media in Germany, including ARD, ZDF and DW.
Editorial independence
Deutschlandradio has been granted the right to self-administration in its statutes. The government does not impose any content-related restrictions on the broadcaster.
The station has various internal documents in place to ensure its editorial independence. For instance, it has a set of guidelines for the Radio Council, the highest governing body. These guidelines require the council to commission qualitative studies or develop new formats, and to consult with external media observers, the public, and Deutschlandradio employees to ensure that the station produces high-quality content.
Deutschlandradio, like other media in Germany, enjoys editorial independence guaranteed by the “freedom of broadcasting” right in the Basic Law and Federal Constitutional Court rulings.
August 2024