ZDFneo
CountryGermany
OwnerZDF
Sister channelsZDF
ZDFinfo
Key peopleMarkus Schächter
Launch date1 November 2009 (age 16) (SD)
30 April 2012 (age 14) (HD)
HeadquartersMainz, Germany
ReplacedZDFdokukanal
Websitewww.zdfneo.de
Terr serv 1Digital terrestrial television
Terr chan 1Region dependent
Online serv 1ZDF.de
Online chan 1Watch live (Germany only)

ZDFneo is a German free-to-air television channel, programmed for an audience aged 25 to 49[1] to complement the primarily older-skewing main channels of public broadcasters ZDF and ARD. It replaced ZDF's documentary channel ZDFdokukanal on 1 November 2009.

History

On 1 October 2017, the channel was to receive a new on-air design and a new broadcasting logo;[2] this was brought forward to 26 September 2017. The logo and on-air design was created by Julia David.[3]

In March 2026, it was announced that ZDFneo would merge its operations with ARD's similar channel One in 2027, with the channel rebranding as simply Neo and becoming a joint venture between the two public broadcasters.[4][5]

Distribution

ZDFneo is broadcast (along with the rest of ZDFvision) via DVB-T digital terrestrial television, receivable in most areas of Germany. It is also transmitted in DVB-C through German cable networks, and in DVB-S from the Astra 1H satellite.

Since 30 April 2012, ZDFneo has been broadcast in HD (720p).[6] The channel was initially only scaled up by 576i, since ZDFneo had no HD-capable playout at this time. Since mid-May 2015, the channel is broadcast in native HD quality.

Programmes

Source:[7]

ZDFneo's broadcasts mostly consists of comedy and drama series produced in-house. Shows imported from America and the United Kingdom plus a few documentaries, music shows, and movies round out the schedule.

Repeats of ZDF programming

Original programming

  • Bambule (culture/current affairs)
  • Comedy Lab (comedy)
  • Crystal Wall (romance-crime drama)[8]
  • Hochzeitsfieber! ("Wedding Fever!"; living)
  • Iss oder quizz (game show)
  • neoLeben (living)
  • Neo Magazin (Talk show)
  • neoMusik (music)
  • Schulz & Böhmermann (talk show)
  • Der Straßenchor ("The Street Choir"; music)
  • Süper Tiger Show (comedy)

Imported series

Audience share

Germany

JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecemberAnnual average
2009[11]------------
2010[12]------------
2011[13]0.3%0.3%0.3%0.3%0.3%0.3%0.3%0.4%0.4%0.4%0.4%0.5%0.4%
2012[14]0.5%0.5%0.5%0.6%0.7%0.7%0.7%0.6%0.7%0.7%0.7%0.8%0.6%
2013[15]0.8%0.8%0.9%1.0%0.9%1.0%1.0%0.9%1.1%1.1%1.2%1.2%1.0%
2014[16]1.2%1.2%1.1%1.2%1.3%1.2%1.3%1.4%1.5%1.4%1.3%1.4%1.3%
2015[17]1.4%1.5%1.6%1.6%1.6%1.7%1.7%1.7%1.7%1.5%1.6%1.8%1.6%
2016[18]1.5%1.6%1.5%1.7%2.0%2.0%2.3%2.5%2.4%2.4%2.6%2.4%2.1%
2017[19]2.5%2.7%2.9%2.5%3.0%3.0%2.8%3.2%3.3%2.9%

References

  1. ^ Jan Freitag: Ungesehen sehenswert. In: zeit.de. ZEIT ONLINE, 15 June 2012, accessed on 22 November 2018.
  2. ^ DWDL.de: "ZDFneo bekommt völlig neuen Markenauftritt verpasst", retrieved 26 August 2017.
  3. ^ "ZDF NEO". Julia David. Retrieved 7 March 2025. As the lead Art Director at FEEDMEE Design at the time, I had the great pleasure of developing not only the new on-air channel identity, but the new logo and off-air concept as well.
  4. ^ "ARD and ZDF to close linear TV channels under reform treaty". Broadband TV News. 2026-03-04. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
  5. ^ "ARD stellt „Tagesschau24“ ein – zwei weitere TV-Kanäle werden gestrichen" (in German). Die Welt. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
  6. ^ Astra-Transponderdaten für neue ZDF HD-Sender ab 30 April 2012 stehen fest infosat.de 6 December 2011 retrieved 24 January 2013.
  7. ^ "Wunschliste". wunschliste.de. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  8. ^ Trautmann, Marie-Sofia (15 April 2025). "ZDFneo-Serie "Crystal Wall" kommt nicht ohne genretypische Klischees aus" (in German). Die Tageszeitung. ISSN 0931-9085. Archived from the original on 3 May 2025. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  9. ^ Hanfeld, Michael (19 May 2015). "Fünf Frauen und ein Todesfall" (in German). Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  10. ^ "ZDFneo: Krimi-Serie "Code 37" in deutscher Erstausstrahlung" (in German). Presseportal. 3 March 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  11. ^ "KEK/Zuschaueranteile 2009". kek-online.de. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  12. ^ "KEK/Zuschaueranteile 2010". kek-online.de. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  13. ^ "KEK/Zuschaueranteile 2011". kek-online.de. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  14. ^ "KEK/Zuschaueranteile 2012". kek-online.de. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  15. ^ "KEK/Zuschaueranteile 2013". kek-online.de. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  16. ^ "KEK/Zuschaueranteile 2014". kek-online.de. Archived from the original on 7 February 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  17. ^ "KEK/Zuschaueranteile 2015". kek-online.de. Archived from the original on 7 February 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  18. ^ "KEK/Zuschaueranteile 2016". kek-online.de. Archived from the original on 28 February 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  19. ^ "KEK/Zuschaueranteile 2017". kek-online.de. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.