Munich, March 17, 2025 – Public and private television broadcasters are working together with associations and organisations to develop a framework for the market launch of DVB-I in Germany. The aim is to create the conditions to simplify the transformation of linear television into streaming.
“The new DVB-I TV standard will soon merge streaming and traditional television to an even greater level. Because it combines the findability of broadcasting, user-friendliness and efficient use of resources ─ these are three good reasons why we as a media authority want to prepare the market launch together with market participants and associations”, says Dr Thorsten Schmiege, President of the Bavarian Regulatory Authority for New Media (BLM), who, as coordinator of the Innovation and Infrastructure Committee of the Directors’ Conference of the State Media Authorities, is moderating the preparation of the market launch with all stakeholders at a round table.
The open DVB-I standard enables easy, integrated use of linear television via IP streaming without the need to launch a separate app. In addition, programmes from different distribution channels such as cable, satellite and antenna can be combined with pure IP streaming on the TV set in future. Viewers will still have the usual simple direct access to TV content in a common user interface with many additional services, an improved programme guide and a seamless transition to non-linear offerings from the broadcasters.
The “DVB-I Round Table” was initiated in 2024 to prepare the conditions for the market launch of DVB-I in Germany, under consideration of aspects of media and antitrust law. Under the moderation of the media authorities ARD, ProSiebenSat.1 Media, RTL Deutschland, ZDF, the Federal Network Agency, VAUNET, and ZVEI are participating.
Organized by the Round Table, working groups have been addressing relevant detailed questions for a possible DVB-I offering in Germany since the beginning of 2025. The main focuses of the working groups are the definition of product requirements, the organization and operation of a joint service list, aspects of non-discriminatory access for program providers, the discussion about certification of receiver devices, and the creation of a road map up to the market launch.
A project office is organising the work at the Round Table and in the working groups. The project office is based at Bayerische Medien Technik (bmt), a subsidiary of BLM and Bayerischer Rundfunk.
In parallel to the Round Table, the DVB-I Task Force of the Deutsche TV-Plattform is developing a technical implementation profile for receivers. The DVB-I Pilot Germany, which was launched in 2022 and successfully tested this technology as a potential solution and presented it to the public, has now been completed.
About the organisations
ARD (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland)
“ARD” is the abbreviation for “Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland” (consortium of public law broadcasters in Germany). This consortium consists of nine regional members (state broadcasting institutions), such as Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR), and Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR).
Since 1950, these ARD broadcasters have worked together in a federal media network to better fulfill their tasks collectively.
Together, they operate the TV channel Das Erste, numerous radio stations, and the ARD Mediathek. ARD provides news, entertainment, culture, and education and is funded by the broadcasting fee.
Bayerische Medien Technik GmbH
Bayerische Medien Technik GmbH (bmt) was founded in 1994 as a subsidiary of the Bavarian Regulatory Authority for New Media (BLM) and Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR). Its work focuses on software development (apps, DVB-I, HbbTV, TPEG products) and services (TV playout, FM transmitter network operation, frequency measurements) for private radio broadcasters in Bavaria and national television companies. Through a large number of projects in the distribution of audio and video for all partners of the dual broadcasting system, bmt has built up extensive expertise in the media industry.
www.bmt-online.de
The media authorities – these are the 14 state media authorities in Germany. They are the central supervisory authorities for the regulation of private broadcasting and telemedia in Germany. The core mission of the media authorities is to ensure the diversity of media offerings and opinions and to protect media freedom. Media regulation in Germany is organised federally by 14 independent state media authorities. Digitalisation, rapid technological change and the great importance of mostly globally active platforms and intermediaries for opinion-forming are key challenges for today’s media regulation.
RTL
Deutschland RTL Deutschland is the leading entertainment company in Germany across all media genres: TV and streaming, print and digital, radio and podcast. It unites the strongest media brands from RTL to STERN, from BRIGITTE to VOX, from GEO to ntv. With RTL+, we operate the leading German streaming service on the market with over 6 million subscribers, whose cross-media offering includes music, podcasts and audio books in addition to video. RTL Deutschland includes 15 TV channels, more than 10 premium magazines, a broad podcast portfolio and numerous digital offerings. Thanks to targeted investments in the areas of tech and data, RTL Deutschland is strategically on its way to becoming a technologically leading media company.
ProSiebenSat.1 Group
ProSiebenSat.1 is the home of popular entertainment and infotainment and a leading entertainment player in the German-speaking region. We complement our core Entertainment business with digital consumer brands in the Commerce & Ventures and Dating & Video segments. We offer the best entertainment – whenever, wherever and on any device. We combine our 15 free and pay TV channels and our streaming platform Joyn with our production, distribution and sales business. Our guiding principle is: „Viewers and Users First“. We continuously strengthen our reach and monetize it in a variety of ways: In addition to marketing advertising spots in the Entertainment segment, we invest advertising time in young digital companies in our Commerce & Ventures segment and in exchange receive shares in the companies themselves or in their revenues. Our goal is to grow profitably and to create long-term value for all stakeholders: for our viewers, users, advertising customers, shareholders – as well as for our employees.
ZDF (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen)
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) is a public television channel jointly supported by all the German federal states, which offers three classic television programmes around the clock: ZDF, ZDFneo and ZDFinfo. ZDF presents its content independently of time in the ZDFmediathek. ZDF also participates in 3sat, ARTE, phoenix and KiKA as well as the content network funk, which is aimed at 14 to 28-year-olds. ZDF’s mission is to provide television viewers in Germany with an objective overview of world events and, in particular, a comprehensive picture of German reality with a full programme of information, education and entertainment.
VAUNET
VAUNET is the umbrella organization for private audio and audiovisual media companies in Germany and the largest representative body of commercial broadcasting interests in Europe. It represents the interests of around 160 member companies from the TV, radio, web and streaming sectors. VAUNET is committed nationally and internationally to the political and economic concerns of the industry and to communicating its special socio-political and cultural significance.
ZVEI
The ZVEI represents the common interests of the electrical and digital industry and the associated service companies in Germany and at international level. The association has more than 1,100 member companies. The electrical and digital industry is one of the most innovative economic sectors in Germany. The industry employs 892,000 workers in Germany (as of February 2025). In 2024, its turnover was around 223 billion euros.
www.zvei.org
