• According to its statutory mission: It will “promote understanding of Germany as an independent nation with its roots in European culture and as a liberal, democratic, constitutional state based on the rule of law.” It is also meant to ”provide a forum in Europe and on other continents to German and other points of view on important issues, with the aim of fostering understanding and exchange between cultures and people.” In addition, it will contribute to promoting the German language.
  
• It fulfills this mission with a journalistic portfolio including television, radio and online services (www.dw-world.de). Television is available in German, English, Arabic and Spanish, radio and online in 30 languages – from Amharic to Kiswahili and Indonesian to Urdu.
  
• It is targeted to people around the world who are interested in Germany and Europe, particularly to those who influence important developments in their respective countries. In countries with authoritarian governments, it is especially targeted to people who are active supporters of democracy, freedom and progress. Deutsche Welle also reports on the events taking place in these countries.
  
• It tailors its offers to meet its audience’s needs. People around the world can access its services that are either offered in the country’s native language or in English. German programming is directed at those with good German language skills, or those teaching or learning.
  
• Its academy provides training for media professionals from developing and transition countries. A master’s program was launched in fall of 2009 entitled “International Media Studies” – a joint project with the University of Bonn, Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences and Deutsche Welle.
  
• It offers young journalists the opportunity to take part in a journalist training program that focuses on multimedia applications and even prepares trainees for work in a foreign-language editorial department.
  
• It is comprised of a team of around 1,500 employees and hundreds of freelancers from more than 60 countries.
  
• Its services reach more than 86 million listeners and viewers worldwide each week and is respected as a credible source of information.
  
• It broadcasts and distributes its programs and services via a global satellite network, partner stations (rebroadcasting) and on the Internet, where audio and video formats are available as live stream, podcasts, on-demand and for mobile devices. Radio programming is still broadcast on shortwave as well as AM and FM in some regions and major cities.
  
• It first went on the air on May 3, 1953.
  
• It is a public broadcaster and is funded by the government from tax revenue. The budget for 2010 was approximately 273 million euros. Erik Bettermann has been Director General since 2001. The chairman of the Broadcasting Board is Valentin Schmidt, President of the Evangelical Church in Germany and the Chairman of the Administrative Board is Peter Clever, member of the Managing Board of the Confederation of German Employers.
  
• It is headquartered in Bonn, where radio and online content is produced at the broadcasting center in the former government district. Deutsche Welle’s main television studios can be found on the Voltasstraße in Berlin
  

January 2011