German TV programming and streaming updates 2026

Timeline

1. 4 days ago

   [CULTURE] 4 sources

   ZDF and SWR unveil 2026 film lineups for Sunday and Saturday prime time

   ZDF’s Herzkino season starts 30 Aug 2026 with new romantic dramas, while SWR’s Saturday Wunschfilmzeit runs 15‑29 Aug, letting viewers vote classic films each week.

2. 5 days ago

   [CULTURE] 4 sources

   German broadcasters unveil new TV season line‑up

   Amazon Prime Video, ARD and ZDF announced key new shows, including the “Maxton Hall” finale, “Babylon Berlin” final season, a “Wetten, dass..?” special with the Kaulitz brothers, and returns of popular formats.

3. 6 days ago

   [CULTURE] 9 sources

   ZDF updates August 2026 TV schedule with new documentaries and program cuts

   ZDF revised its August 2026 schedule, cancelling “Die Spur”, adding a “Terra X” deepfake documentary with Harald Lesch, and adjusting news and documentary slots for weeks 36 and 37.

4. 7 days ago

   [CULTURE] 3 sources

   German broadcasters roll out new episodes and livestreams for popular TV series

   German TV schedule: RTL2 livestreams “Berlin – Tag & Nacht” episode 3736 on 3 Aug; National Geographic premieres “Hitlers letzter Widerstand” (3 Sep) and “Entschlüsselt: Prophezeiungen der Geschichte” (24 Sep);

5. 21 days ago

   [BUSINESS] 3 sources

   German Media Platforms Launch New Series and Subscription Bundle

   ARD Mediathek adds new series and a recommendation system on 19 July 2026; Axel Springer and RTL Deutschland launch a €9.99 bundle of BILDplus and RTL+ Premium, cutting prices by about 45 %.

6. 21 days ago

   [CULTURE] 2 sources

   German TV platforms add new streaming titles in July 2026

   Sky Go adds the film “Der Zoowärter” to its July 19, 2026 lineup, while ZDFneo airs repeats of “MAITHINK X – Die Show” on multiple July dates.

7. 22 days ago

   [CULTURE] 2 sources

   ZDF streams 'Bibi und Tina' episode live on July 19, 2026

   ZDF aired the 'Gestüt Szendrö in Gefahr' episode of 'Bibi und Tina' on 19 July 2026 at 07:50, simultaneously on TV and via its streaming portal and Joyn, aiming for synchronized viewing.

8. 27 days ago

   [CULTURE] 2 sources

   Das Traumschiff airs classic 1991 episode as star Daniel Morgenroth reflects on 23‑year partnership

   ZDF select aired a classic 1991 Disney World episode of Germany's Das Traumschiff, and actor Daniel Morgenroth discussed his 23‑year partnership with Johanna Klante.

9. about 1 month ago

   [CULTURE] 3 sources

   ZDF schedules back-to-back episodes of Das Traumschiff on July 9, 2026

   ZDF will air back‑to‑back Das Traumschiff episodes “Kolumbien” and the 2018 “Malediven” on July 9 2026, trimming heute journal to 15 minutes and preceding ARD’s World Cup quarter‑final.

10. about 1 month ago

    [SPORTS] 3 sources

    German second-division sports spotlight: RTL to air Bundesliga fixtures and ETV signs basketball talent

    RTL will air two 2. Bundesliga fixtures in August amid its Sky takeover, while ETV signs basketball player Nina Zollenkopf, who will juggle training with medical studies.

11. about 1 month ago

    [CULTURE] 3 sources

    German broadcasters RTLZWEI and ZDF announce week 28 programming updates

    RTLZWEI launches new “Hartz und herzlich” episodes on 28 July; ZDF’s week 28 schedule adds live World Cup coverage, women’s Nations League match and moves SOKO Leipzig dates.

12. about 1 month ago

    [CULTURE] 6 sources

    ARD's 'Polizeiruf 110' Leads Sunday TV Amid Sports Broadcast Shifts

    ARD's repeat of Polizeiruf 110 attracted 4.4 M viewers (21% share), beating other channels as Sky’s F1 and DTM draws modest audiences; ZDF shifts its Saturday crime for a World Cup match.

13. about 1 month ago

    [CULTURE] 6 sources

    ZDF postpones Saturday crime series to 10 PM for World Cup match

    ZDF pushes its Saturday crime series to 10 PM on 4 July to air the Canada‑Morocco World Cup match; ARD likewise airs a crime film instead of football, highlighting broadcasters’ schedule shifts for the 2026 WC.

14. about 2 months ago

    [CULTURE] 2 sources

    ZDFneo and ZDFinfo Schedule Adjustments for July 2026

    ZDFneo and ZDFinfo announced July 2026 broadcast schedule changes, correcting titles, times and cancelling specific documentaries.

15. about 2 months ago

    [CULTURE] 2 sources

    German TV channels ZDF and SAT.1 adjust June schedules for World Cup and series cancellation

    ZDF drops its Saturday crime shows for World Cup matches, while SAT.1 pulls the daily drama “Frieda” from prime‑time, moving its remaining episodes to early‑morning slots.

16. 2 months ago

    [CULTURE] 2 sources

    ZDFinfo Revises Week 27 Schedule, Several Programs Cancelled

    ZDFinfo alters its week‑27 schedule, cancelling seven programmes including a documentary on antisemitism and a series on online gambling, with regular broadcasting resuming thereafter.

This summary has been updated 10 times: see revision history