When Deutsche Welle was first launched on May 3, 1953, the then German president Theodor Heuss said the task of Germany’s international radio was to promote “détente”. His message was directed at listeners of the first DW programs, which were at first only in German and broadcast for just three hours a day. Heuss’ wish concerned not only relations between the young Federal Republic of Germany and the international community, but also the relationship of Germans all over the world to their homeland; shortwave provided a kind of “bridge” between compatriots.

The more than 50-year history of DW is first and foremost the history of DW-RADIO – a story in many languages. At present, DW broadcasts radio programs in 30 languages.

The service expands steadily
Shortly after broadcasting began in 1953, the Allied High Commission – which had control over broadcasting in Germany – permitted transmissions of pro¬grams in foreign languages as well. Programs in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese were introduced. The 1960s became a decade of rapid expansion: for example, DW-RADIO launched programs in Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Hausa, Indonesian, Italian, Kiswahili, Croatian, Persian, Polish, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Czech, Turkish and Hungarian. By 1970, DW-RADIO was informing listeners about Germany and German viewpoints, developments in Europe and current world events in 29 languages.

Of course, it also reported about events in the target countries. This applied and still applies in particular to those regions where freedom of speech and of the press are still a long way from being guaranteed. This role becomes even more important in times of crisis.

“The voice of freedom”
For an international broadcaster to be able to react effectively to wars and crises, its programming and editors must be flexible. Broadcasting times must be extended if necessary, new languages have to be added and hence new editorial services set up. An everyday matter for DW-RADIO: for example, in the early 1970s, DW countered the military dictatorship in Greece with more Greek-language programs. This led to Deutsche Welle gaining a reputation in Greece as “the voice of freedom” – a reputation so lasting that many Greeks remain true to DW to this very day. As a reaction to the Balkan conflict, DW-RADIO launched an Albanian Service in 1992 and a Bosnian Service in 1997.

From the 1968 “Prague Spring” and the wars in the Balkans and in Chechnya to the current trouble spots in Afghanistan and Iraq – Deutsche Welle has always been able to make use of existing contact networks on location in conflict regions.

German Service with a focus on background information
DW-RADIO’s German Service has been on the air around the clock since 1974 – on every continent of the world during radio prime time. Information has always been the focus. Since the latest program reform in the autumn of 2008, DW-RADIO has put more emphasis on background reports and analysis so that it can present Germany and Europe to a global audience. The new program schedule offers even more up-to-date news, intensifies regionalization and increases flexibility. Listeners want and get news every full hour as well as information from business, the arts and sports: all the important information in two hours – in all broadcast regions. In Europe, the German Service is on the air 24 hours a day as always.

Flexibility and alignment to media markets
Adaptation of program services to meet demands in target regions also means canceling programs when the demand on the respective media market is no longer sufficient. That is why, in 1998, Deutsche Welle ceased its services in Danish, Norwegian, Dutch and Italian – but expanded its Russian Service, added the Ukrainian Service in 2000 and launched a segment for Belarus in 2005. And, while DW has stopped its program in Sanskrit, the Southeast Europe service has started broadcasting in Romany.

Deutsche Welle maintains a flexible approach in its service, continually monitoring developments in various regions of the world and adjusting its focuses accordingly.

Deutsche Welle continues to improve and change according to the media sector, - whether it has to do with technology or content. That’s why Deutsche Welle has accommodated the growing importance of the Internet and the increasing media convergence by merging the radio and online teams together.

Available as podcast and on FM
There are also changes in production and transmission technologies at DW-RADIO as well: DW-RADIO programs can be received worldwide via satellite and from partner stations that rebroadcast them using their own channels. In many large cities – especially in Southeast Europe – FM frequencies are becoming more and more important. The Internet has also become an important source for radio content, with the availability of live streams and podcasts to download.

In certain regions of the world, shortwave is still essential – especially in areas of conflict and countries with restricted freedom of speech and the press.

“The voice of human rights”
Détente has made way for intercultural dialog. The role as “the voice of freedom” has given way to the growing importance of being “the voice of human rights”. Today, Deutsche Welle addresses people all over the world who are interested in Germany and Europe, who are locally involved in or have influence on important developments and decisions.

December 2008