ZDF’s Norbert Himmler on Pubcaster Evolution

Norbert Himmler, the director-general of ZDF, shares with World Screen his strategy for the pubcaster as it plots its long-term vision for remaining relevant and essential for German audiences.

Himmler has spent his entire media career at ZDF. Getting his start in the editorial team of flagship newscast heute, Himmler worked across the organization’s content operations, becoming program director in 2012, a post he held for a decade before being elevated to director-general in 2022. He assumed leadership of the stalwart European broadcast group at a transformative time in the business and has set out to future-proof the organization.

At the heart of Himmler’s strategy is a focus on building on ZDF’s strengths: a well-established reputation for trustworthy information, deep brand awareness, an extensive footprint and a heritage of being a ratings leader. But Himmler knows that having a legacy is not enough in these transformative times. Amid pressures on public funding, Himmler is driving new partnerships in content, exploring the benefits of AI and preparing for the pitfalls of the technology, building on ZDF’s fact-checking and news-sourcing capabilities and driving its digital transition to ensure it’s as relevant for young audiences as it is for older ones. All the while, it is ensuring it can provide German audiences with the best content, while ZDF Studios monetizes that output and third-party IP on the global market.

WS: What’s driving your success with audiences at present? Amid all the options viewers have, what do they come to ZDF for that they can’t find elsewhere?
HIMMLER: ZDF has been the market leader in Germany for the 13th consecutive year and, in 2024, achieved its best market share since the start of TV measurement in reunited Germany. With our linear and digital offerings from the ZDF family, we reach a total of 83 percent of the population each month. This success shows that we are in demand by a very large part of society as a national generalist broadcaster. Our offerings in news, entertainment, education and culture aim to provide people in Germany with an objective overview of world events and a comprehensive picture of German reality. One of our most important tasks is, therefore, to provide independent and verified information and to serve as a trusted source of news. We address topics that affect everyone, offer a platform for diverse opinions and thus comprehensively reflect the diversity of our society.

Our audience knows that, especially in times of disinformation and fake news, they can rely on the high quality of our reporting. Our news programs, in particular, score highly with viewers, reaching 80 percent of the population and 68 percent of 14- to 49-year-olds per month in 2024. Key components for younger audiences are our channels ZDFneo and ZDFinfo. The streaming platform reached a new record in 2024 with 7 million visits per day, as did the online news service ZDFheute, with 2.52 million visits per day. All of this strengthens our path to reaching an increasing number of younger users with our independent news offerings. At the same time, we stand for major fiction content—series productions, event miniseries and we broadcast a 90-minute TV movie in first run almost every week. Emerging talents also regularly have the opportunity to bring their films to audiences via ZDF. In addition, our wide range of documentaries, history and entertainment programs enables viewers to expand their knowledge in an engaging way and understand complex issues.

Fundamentally, our programming is committed to high-quality standards and the democratic and fundamental rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution. We critically examine undemocratic developments. ZDF reports must respect human dignity, personal rights and youth protection. In doing so, we contribute to social dialogue and the strengthening of democracy, and thus receive broad support even in these turbulent times.

And we actively involve our viewers. Our own audience panel ZDFmitreden has grown to more than 75,000 participants. Through this direct communication channel with the audience, public opinion is incorporated into both major and minor decisions made by ZDF editorial teams. Because in the long term, we want to be a ZDF for all citizens—including those we have not yet reached. Our viewers appreciate all these efforts. That is the standard they are looking for. And they find it with us.

WS: How is the public-funding situation for ZDF? What changes do you think are needed to help stabilize funding for pubcasters?
HIMMLER: These are turbulent times. Without stable and adequate funding, public broadcasting will not be able to sufficiently fulfill its existing mandate from the federal states in the areas of news, education, science, culture, sports and entertainment in the future. Like all other media companies, we must absorb price increases across all areas while also implementing mandated savings targets. We have been following the principle of frugality and efficiency for many years, having cut over 600 positions in the past decade, continuing to reduce staff and already reallocating €100 million of the content budget in order to modernize our offerings with a focus on digital areas.

The recommendation to increase the broadcasting fee, determined through a very elaborate process by an independent commission (KEF), is modest and was supposed to take effect on January 1, 2025, following the last increase in 2021. We insist on this. However, we are currently still negotiating ratification with the 16 federal states.

To put things into perspective: contributing households currently pay 15 cents per day for ZDF—that includes the streaming platform, our linear programming, ZDFneo, ZDFinfo and all our partner channels.

WS: What opportunities is ZDF pursuing to partner with like-minded organizations across Europe and around the world?
HIMMLER: We are indeed pursuing a wide range of collaborations and partnerships: ZDF is a member of the Global Task Force for public service media, a worldwide network of public-service broadcasters committed to advocating for the values and interests of public media and taking joint positions on shared issues and challenges. Within this network and beyond, we maintain strong partnerships with CBC/Radio-Canada, ABC and France Télévisions, among others. One outcome of these efforts is the international research project Public Spaces Incubator, in which ZDF has been involved since 2023. In this context, we are already taking the next step in our distribution strategy with ZDFspaces: moderated and constructive conversations for respectful debate under selected ZDF content and streams.

We are 50 percent shareholders of ARTE Deutschland—with ARD holding the other half—and thus contribute half of the German programming for the Franco-German broadcaster, which now collaborates, co-produces and exchanges content with 12 European public-service partners. Together with ARD, ORF and SRF, we also shape 3sat as a cultural broadcaster for the German-speaking world with numerous premieres and original productions, ranging from documentaries to feature films, satire to comedy, pop to classical music and theater and even science.

On the European level, we maintain several major programming partnerships. Building on a long-standing collaboration, we entered into a far-reaching broadcaster partnership with the BBC in March 2025 to jointly develop high-quality fiction series. Also worth mentioning is New8, the largest European alliance for co-producing series content, aimed at creating synergies for programming that can reach audiences across Europe and around the world. Since 2018, we have also been part of the European Alliance with Italy’s Rai and France Télévisions for series production. Last but not least, the annual co-production conference between ZDF, ORF and SRF has been held since 1967 and continues to develop joint programming for the German-speaking region.

WS: We’ve seen innovative models emerge over the last year, such as France Télévisions expanding on Prime Video. How important is collaboration amid these broader shifts happening in the media business?
HIMMLER: The transformation of the media industry demands and opens up new paths. ZDF is consciously pursuing them through strong partnerships, even beyond the public broadcasting sphere. In addition to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, a BBC production with ZDFneo and Netflix, we are engaged in various forms of collaboration with streaming services. The Israeli-German drama series Borders is also a co-production with ZDFneo, with Netflix as the partner for non-German-speaking territories. For the drama series KRANK Berlin, ZDF is working with Apple TV+ as a partner, and the series The Assassin is a co-production with Prime Video U.K. and Ireland.

As you can see, we rely on national and international collaborations to make our content as widely available and accessible as possible. In doing so, we combine our public-service mission with a shared goal: providing orientation and quality in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. At the same time, we also invest in technological cooperation and see ourselves as enablers for both the market and society.

For all our partnerships, one principle remains essential: our independence. It safeguards journalistic and editorial freedom, ensures a diversity of perspectives and builds trust with our audience. Only in this way can we report credibly and offer socially relevant content beyond commercial interests.

WS: How are you positioning ZDF’s streaming portal and your other online platforms? What’s driving your success there, and what more do you think ZDF needs to do to reach audiences wherever they are?
HIMMLER: In line with our strategy “One ZDF for All,” we are pursuing not only editorial measures—such as expanding genre diversity—but also platform strategies and technical developments. As nonlinear usage continues to grow, the streaming portal is at the heart of our future strategy, as it brings together all ZDF offerings. This increasingly includes live content, which is being consumed more via the internet and less through traditional reception channels. At the same time, we remain committed to our linear offerings, which still reach a broad audience. Our distribution channels regularly demonstrate the potential to complement each other. Whether through streaming, linear television or social media. We must integrate our planning and distribution across platforms to reach our target audiences comprehensively. This goal—a stronger 360-degree perspective—is being addressed by our newly established Audience Directorate.

WS: How is linear viewing holding up in Germany? Has audience erosion from the transition to streaming stabilized? What’s the key to keeping these linear brands relevant for audiences today?
HIMMLER: Linear broadcasting will continue to play a defining role for ZDF for quite some time and remains a key factor in our success, as linear viewers are still numerous across all age groups. For the foreseeable future, linear television will remain part of our overall strategy. This applies not only to our main channel—ZDFneo and ZDFinfo account for one third of ZDF’s younger audience in linear viewing. They are a central component of our rejuvenation strategy. We define the ZDF of the future as follows: all genres and brands relevant to the public-service mission must find their audience, regardless of the distribution channel.

In terms of linear brands, media research data shows that they have significant potential, even in reaching younger audiences and in strengthening emotional engagement. These offerings can be classified as premium and core brands of ZDF. ZDF aligns itself with its umbrella brand: one that is shaped by a commitment to independent, high-quality and reliable journalism. We aim to be even more present where the audience is, to maintain and regain trust in a constantly changing media landscape and to provide orientation. Connection is therefore a central element of ZDF’s brand identity and forms the foundation for our programming diversity and related communication.

WS: What has been your approach to putting content on YouTube?
HIMMLER: YouTube is a relevant distribution platform for ZDF, especially to reach younger audiences that we cannot always engage through traditional channels. As a touchpoint with the ZDF brand, YouTube provides visibility, attention and additional points of contact. However, our strategic focus is clearly on strengthening our own platforms—first and foremost, the streaming portal. There, our content is ad-free, compliant with data protection regulations and independent of developments by major U.S. tech corporations. This independence holds central journalistic and technological value for us.

WS: How does ZDF Studios support ZDF’s overall mission to serve German audiences? What are your goals for that business as it navigates the changes in the global market?
HIMMLER: For over 30 years, ZDF Studios has been a valuable partner of ZDF, and we are proud of how our collaboration has evolved over time. In a constantly changing world, ZDF Studios has taken on an increasingly important role in ensuring that we can offer the best content to our audiences in Germany. Whether it’s gripping dramas, inspiring documentaries or entertaining children’s programming, ZDF Studios is an indispensable part of our content acquisition through commissions, co-productions and licensing.

Thanks to its extensive international network and keen sense for current trends, the ZDF Studios group helps us discover and develop programs that captivate and move our audiences and is essential when it comes to content that helps us attract new viewers.

A particularly fine example of this collaboration is the drama series Ku’damm 77. Produced by UFA Fiction for ZDF, the series will be presented to an international audience at a World Premiere Screening at MIPCOM in Cannes. The earlier seasons of this popular family saga have already won many hearts and were sold to over 30 countries. It was even nominated for an International Emmy.

Moreover, we are excited about ZDF Studios’ initiatives in innovation and digital transformation. ZDF Studios responds flexibly and creatively to today’s market challenges, opening up new opportunities. We look forward to continuing our successful journey together with ZDF Studios.

WS: How are you approaching AI within the organization?
HIMMLER: ZDF is approaching generative AI with transparency and has established editorial principles for its use. We see opportunities in the use of generative artificial intelligence, but also risks.

First and foremost, generative AI tools are intended to support, not replace, the work of our editorial teams. These tools may be used within ZDF in editorial and journalistic contexts, but, like all other content, they are subject to our quality and programming guidelines.

Editorial teams are responsible for the use of AI to support programming, planning and communication processes at ZDF. Content created with generative AI must be checked for accuracy, origin and truthfulness. This is done by editors, who approve and publish the content, with the exception of live subtitles during live broadcasts. Where journalistic standards require it, AI-generated content is clearly labeled for users.

The two-source principle applies, with generative AI itself not counting as a source. AI tools used at ZDF must not be enriched with sensitive data (e.g., personal data, third-party data, company secrets). Exceptions are only permitted after prior review by the editorial team and in consultation with the relevant departments.

WS: What systems has ZDF implemented to be able to track viewing across platforms so you can have a true sense of the value of your content?
HIMMLER: ZDF relies on a combination of technical analytics tools and qualitative media research to track content usage across platforms and to measure its value in a meaningful way. In addition to tracking systems and AI-supported evaluations, the ZDF KOMPASS is a central element of this strategy. This instrument combines traditional reach measurement with in-depth analysis of editorial quality.

Based on four dimensions—relevance, professionalism, orientation and acceptance—the KOMPASS enables a nuanced evaluation from the audience’s perspective. It incorporates not only usage data but also factors such as societal relevance, journalistic diligence and the ability to shape public opinion. This creates a comprehensive picture that reflects both the usage and the impact of content in a societal context.

WS: You’ve spent your media career at ZDF. In leading the organization today, what benefits have you derived from your backgrounds in news and programming?
HIMMLER: Programming and audience engagement are matters close to my heart. Through my experience within the organization, I also understand the value of collaborative leadership. I’m grateful that our executive team is so well-positioned and that we engage in a respectful and critical dialogue at eye level, within a close and constructive discourse.

WS: What are your goals for ZDF over the next year?
HIMMLER: Beyond the issue of funding, we face major challenges. A key goal is to transition our streaming portal, together with ARD, into an open-source streaming network. Content-wise, our task is to set meaningful accents for a healthy societal discourse, for which we aim to move ZDFspaces from its beta phase into regular operation. We also confidently embrace the challenges that new working environments bring for ZDF as an organization and continue to work on modernizing our programming.