ARD-alpha
German television channel
title: "ARD-alpha" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["television-stations-in-germany", "mass-media-in-munich", "television-channels-and-stations-established-in-1998", "educational-and-instructional-television-channels", "ard-(broadcaster)", "orf-(broadcaster)", "german-language-television-stations", "bayerischer-rundfunk"] description: "German television channel" topic_path: "geography/germany" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARD-alpha" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary German television channel ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox television channel"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | ARD alpha |
| logo_size | 200px |
| logo | ARD alpha.svg |
| launch_date | |
| picture_format | 720p HDTV |
| network | ARD |
| owner | Bayerischer Rundfunk |
| country | Bavaria, Germany |
| area | Germany |
| website | ard-alpha.de |
| sister_channels | Das Erste |
| NDR Fernsehen | |
| One | |
| Tagesschau24 | |
| former_names | BR-alpha (1998–2014) |
| terr_serv_1 | Digital terrestrial television |
| terr_chan_1 | Varies depending on the region |
| online_serv_1 | ARD-Alpha Livestream |
| online_chan_1 | Watch Live |
| :: |
| name = ARD alpha | logo_size = 200px | logo = ARD alpha.svg | launch_date = | picture_format = 720p HDTV | network = ARD | owner = Bayerischer Rundfunk | parent = | country = Bavaria, Germany | area = Germany | website = ard-alpha.de | sister_channels = Das Erste NDR Fernsehen One Tagesschau24 | former_names = BR-alpha (1998–2014) | terr_serv_1 = Digital terrestrial television | terr_chan_1 = Varies depending on the region | terr_serv_2 = | terr_chan_2 = | online_serv_1 = ARD-Alpha Livestream | online_chan_1 = Watch Live ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/BR-alpha.svg" caption="Logo of BR-alpha from October 2007 to 29 June 2014"] ::
ARD alpha is a German free-to-air television channel run by regional public-service broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk. Its programming consists of shows made by Bayerischer Rundfunk, as well as from ARD and Austrian broadcaster ORF. The channel was originally called BR-alpha, but was rebranded as ARD-alpha on 29 June 2014.
Programmes
ARD-alpha broadcasts educational programmes including; science, religion, music, philosophy, literature, language learning, art and culture.
History
BR-alpha (1998-2014)
BR-alpha, as the station was originally called, started broadcasting on January 7, 1998. The station's programmes were originally broadcast in analog using the Astra satellite and were also distributed by cable networks. The schedule focused mainly on education and information. The channel began digital broadcasts via Astra in the summer of 1998. On 28 November 2000, the heads of the regional public broadcasters agreed to start cooperating with BR-alpha.
On 30 September 2002, the channel started broadcasting Planet Wissen ("Planet Knowledge" in English), a general knowledge programme and a co-production of BR-alpha, Westdeutscher Rundfunk and Südwestrundfunk. The programme also has an extensive internet presence. Bavaria started digital terrestrial television broadcasts on 30 May 2005, as did BR-alpha.
The channel's scheduled were revamped on 16 February 2008. Career guidance programmes, a magazine aimed at young people called freiraum were started, and programs W wie Wissen and Faszination Wissen were also added.
On 9 August 2009, the youth program on3-südwild switched from Bavarian Television to BR-alpha. On 27 June 2010, Andreas Höfer won the Deutschen Kamerapreis (German Camera Award) in the category TV movie /docudrama for the BR-alpha film Empathie – Stumme Schreie (Empathy - Silent screams).
ARD alpha (since 2014)
The channel changed its name to ARD alpha on 29 June 2014. The schedule was reorganised the previous day. BR is still responsible for financing and broadcasting the channel, but some programmes originally broadcast by other ARD member stations were added to ARD alpha's schedule. Cooperation with ORF (the Austrian public broadcaster) in the form of alpha-Österreich continued, and its television programs are now aired after 10 pm instead of in the early evening. Werner Reuss is head of ARD alpha.
Broadcast
SD broadcasting via satellite (Astra 19.2) stopped on 12 January 2021.
Audience share
Germany
::data[format=table]
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | Annual average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | ||
| :: |
References
References
- (7 January 1998). "BR startet TV-Bildungskanal". ARD.
- (28 November 2000). "Verwaltungsvereinbarungen überarbeitet". ARD.
- (30 May 2005). "Digitales Antennenfernsehen startet auch in Bayern". ARD.
- (16 February 2008). "BR alpha mit modifizertem Programmschema". ARD.
- (9 August 2009). "Bayerisches Fernsehen modifiziert Programm". ARD.
- (27 June 2010). "20. Deutscher Kamerapreis verliehen". ARD.
- Marcel Pohlig. (27 May 2014). "Neuer Name: BR-Bildungskanal wird zu ARD-alpha".
- Manuel Nunez Sanchez. (27 May 2014). "BR-alpha wird zu ARD-alpha".
- (13 February 2020). "Exklusiv: Schnelle ARD-Antworten zur SD-Abschaltung".
- "KEK/Zuschaueranteile 2017".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::