Thomas Johannes Gottschalk is a German radio and television host and entertainer. He is best known for hosting Wetten, dass..?, for many years Europe's biggest television show, which he steered to huge success in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol between 1987 and 2023. Until 2015, he was also the brand ambassador in television advertisements for Haribo confectionery.
Germany has officially participated in every Eurovision Song Contest since its inaugural edition in 1956, except in 1996 when its entry did not qualify past the audio-only pre-selection round, and consequently was not seen in the broadcast final and does not count as one of Germany's 67 appearances. No other country has been represented as many times. Along with France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, Germany is one of the "Big Five" countries that are automatically prequalified for the final, due to their participant broadcasters being the largest financial contributors to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The final is broadcast in Germany on ARD's flagship channel, Das Erste.
ARD is a joint organisation of Germany's regional public-service broadcasters. It was founded in 1950 in West Germany to represent the common interests of the new, decentralised, post-war broadcasting services – in particular the introduction of a joint television network.
Bayerischer Rundfunk, shortened to BR, is a public-service radio and television broadcaster, based in Munich, capital city of the Free State of Bavaria in Germany. BR is a member organization of the ARD consortium of public broadcasters in Germany.
Astra Digital Radio (ADR) was a system used by SES for digital radio transmissions on the early Astra satellites, using the audio subcarrier frequencies of analogue television channels. It was introduced in 1995. As of February 2008, there were still 51 stations transmitting in this format. ADR ceased on 30 April 2012 when analogue broadcasts on Astra 19.2°E ended.
The Reichs-Rundfunk-Gesellschaft was a national network of German regional public radio and television broadcasting companies active from 1925 until 1945. RRG's broadcasts were receivable in all parts of Germany and were used extensively for Nazi propaganda after 1933.
Germany was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1982 with the song "Ein bißchen Frieden", composed by Ralph Siegel, with lyrics by Bernd Meinunger, and performed by Nicole. The German participating broadcaster on behalf of ARD, Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), selected their entry through a national final. The entry eventually won the Eurovision Song Contest.
Biermösl Blosn was a Bavarian musical and cabaret band known for combining satirical texts with traditional folk music. It was founded in 1976 by three brothers - Hans, Christoph and Michael Well - and often works with political cabaret artist Gerhard Polt. The name derives from "Beerenmoos", a part of the Haspelmoor in the district of Fürstenfeldbruck that was planned to be transformed in a large airport and a waste dump, and "Blosn", a Bavarian word for "group".
Germany was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1983 with the song "Rücksicht", composed by Michael Reinecke, with lyrics by Volker Lechtenbrink, and performed by duo Hoffmann & Hoffmann. The German participating broadcaster on behalf of ARD, Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), selected their entry through a national final. In addition, BR was also the host broadcaster and staged the event at the Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle in Munich, after winning the previous edition with the song "Ein bißchen Frieden" by Nicole.
Stadlshow is a live broadcast entertainment show of German pop music, Schlager and Volkstümliche Musik. The program tours Austria, Germany, Switzerland and South Tyrol being produced by ORF, and broadcast via the Eurovision with the cooperation of Bayerischer Rundfunk and Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen. Formerly known as Musikantenstadl which was produced for over 30 years, the show was remodelled into what is now the Stadlshow in an attempt to attract younger viewers. The show is presented by Francine Jordi and Alexander Mazza.
Bayern 1 is a German public radio station in Bavaria, owned and operated by the Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR).
Richard Gutjahr is a German TV presenter and blogger. He is known for covering the terror attacks in Nice and Munich in mid-2016 with a mobile phone, and he "explained how basic mobile technology allowed him to cover the two attacks".
Bayern 3 is a public radio station owned and operated by Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), the public broadcaster in the German state of Bavaria.
BR24 is a cross-platform news brand of German public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) which is at the same time a news website, a 24/7 news radio station and a television news programme.
Bayern mobil was a German, public radio station owned and operated by the Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) which was on-air from 1 January 1998 to 31 August 2008 as part of the DAB pilot project in Bavaria.
Julia Büchler is a German television presenter, radio reporter and journalist.
Claus-Erich Boetzkes is a German journalist and television moderator.
Helmar Rudolf Willi Weitzel is a German television presenter, journalist and film producer. He moderated the television programs Willi wills wissen and Willis VIPs. In 2008 he made the movie Willi und die Wunder dieser Welt. Other TV shows he hosted were Willis Quiz Quark Club, Willi wills wissen – Gute Frage, nächste Frage!, Willi wills wissen von A–Z and Ein guter Grund zu feiern. Since 2013 he has been on the road in Germany with his live program Willis wilde Wege. Since January 2018 he has moderated the magazine Gut zu Wissen on BR Fernsehen.
AFN Frankfurt was a radio station in Frankfurt, Germany, that was operational from 1945 to 2004. It was a part of the American Forces Network (AFN) broadcasting to US soldiers serving overseas, and long served as headquarters of AFN Europe. It was popular not just with soldiers, but also with a German "shadow audience", and was instrumental in introducing several American musical styles to German listeners.
