A TV station that turns its news program on its head

The ProSiebenSat.1 broadcast group will once again take over its own news production from January 2023. Some changes await viewers.

ProSiebenSat.1 is strengthening its information offerings. “We will be producing and broadcasting news from our editorial team from January 1,” the editor-in-chief of Seven.One Entertainment Group, which belongs to the listed media group Sven Pietsch, told the dpa news agency.

The changes will be introduced to the television audience step by step in the new year. In the future, the ProSieben, Sat.1 and Kabel eins programs will be created in a large studio currently being built at the media group’s main site in Unterföhring near Munich and should be ready in the spring.

When viewers turn on the news on all three channels at the beginning of January, the disruptions will not be so noticeable at first, “because the visual design and appearance of the programs will not change yet. But there will be three new presenters,” says Beach.

Beach announced that in May 2023, the advent of “a brand new look for all unified brand news programs and formats” will follow. ProSiebenSat.1 has not yet announced a brand name. But one thing’s for sure: There won’t be a standard news program for all three stations, and shows will be individually tailored to the station’s respective audience. “We also want to become more local, closer to the people,” Beach said. At the same time, the digital presence must be greatly expanded.

Until now, ProSiebenSat.1 had news broadcasts being produced externally by station Welt TV, which belongs to Axel Springer’s media company. Contract ends. With this said, the private TV company sets a great tone in the Unterföhring. Rival RTL has also increased its news offering in the past. Both houses have hired well-known public broadcasters. The picture of special broadcasters, which has been heavily influenced by entertainment shows for decades, must become more diverse.

Both media boards focused on offerings with purported public value – that is, with added social value. The federal states, which are responsible for media policy, have given the region more importance through a state treaty. It should be easy to find these shows on smart TV homepages, for example.