Das Erste - History

History

The channel's first experimental broadcasts started on 27 November 1950 as the TV channel of the then NWDR, which later split to become NDR and WDR in 1956. The regular NWDR television service started on 25 December 1952. Nationwide transmission began on 1 November 1954 within the ARD framework. It was West Germany's only television channel prior to the establishment of ZDF in 1963. ARD nevertheless produced a provisional second TV channel from 1 June 1961 until ZDF started its transmissions on 1 April 1963. Colour television was introduced on 25 August 1967.

The channel's original name of Deutsches Fernsehen was changed to ARD Deutsches Fernsehen in 1964, and to Erstes Deutsches Fernsehen ("First German Television") on 30 September 1984. Also around 1984, a new corporate design was introduced. The previous logo, a stylized eye, was replaced by a new logo showing a stylized number "1" which is still in use today. Since 1997, the channel has usually been branded as Das Erste, but the long name Erstes Deutsches Fernsehen is still used for official purposes (e.g. the introduction to the main editions of its news programme Tagesschau, which has been on air since 26 December 1952). Informally, it is still also known as ARD among viewers.

In addition to its SD broadcast, a 720p50 HD version of the channel, Das Erste HD, is also broadcast. Broadcast of Das Erste HD began in February 2010 with the coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Das Erste HD is available via satellite (DVB-S2 on Astra 19.2°E) and cable (Kabel Deutschland in Germany, Cablecom in Swtzerland).