Tick-Tock, "Tagesschau" May Soon Run for 30 Minutes!
Could it be that news broadcasts will be condensed to a duration of 30 minutes? - Will the news segments extend to thirty minutes in duration?
Hey there! Have you heard the scoop about the upcoming shakeup on German TV? Rumors from sources like DWDL suggest that ARD's flagship news show, "Tagesschau," might be undergoing a significant change in length, running for a whopping 30 minutes!
Grapevine had it that the news format might be stretched, moving from its usual 8:15 PM slot to an extended 8:30 PM airtime. This shift, if it happens, would bump prime time from 8:15 PM to 8:30 PM, mirroring the evening programming schedule across all channels.
Internal Tests Paving the Way
According to DWDL's sources, the idea comes from Program Director Christine Strobl, who had advocated for this change last year but faced minimal support. The current support for the idea appears tentative at best. A high-ranking ARD figure, speaking on condition of anonymity with DWDL, criticized the move as a "short-sighted power play" that needlessly disrupts the media-political discourse at a sensitive time.
On Wednesday, Bild reportedly revealed that many internal tests are being conducted, but whether it will result in an extended show remains uncertain.
Just tossing out an interesting tidbit here - starting the "Tagesschau" earlier, at 7:45 PM, to avoid tampering with prime time, isn't an option because ARD Media can only sell ad spots until 8:00 PM.
The Venerable Pioneer of German Television news
Lo and behold, the "Tagesschau" is the oldest and most-watched news show on German television. According to ARD's own stats from 2023, the news show averaged over 11 million viewers in 2021, thanks in part to the pandemic and the increasing demand for serious news. Since then, viewership has ebbed slightly.
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I'm not gonna be able to get to the bottom of this, but the rumors and internal tests suggest that the "Tagesschau," a venerable pioneer of German Television news, might be expanding its length due to changes in its airtime, potentially incorporating more technology, entertainment, and general-news content to reflect the evening programming schedule across all channels. However, the high-ranking ARD figure's criticism and the uncertainty surrounding the internal tests cast doubt on the extension's success.
