Pro7 (as it was when it launched on the Astra satellite in 1988) is one of Germany's longest running commercial broadcasters, and it was the first to obtain a terrestrial broadcasting frequency, in the Munich area in 1989.
Its populist programming, including gameshows and dubbed American imports, contrasted markedly with the conservative fare on the state broadcasters, and by 1994 it had captured over 9% of the market. Yet early presentation is still stylistically and linguistically formal.
A few in-vision continuity announcements. In the 1st clip - The end of the not yet sensationalist late news, then Angelika Kallmayer introduces the 1968 German film "Bis zum Happy End". 2nd clip - An end-of-break bumper, and then Angelika Kallmayer reads somewhat woodenly off her notes to wish us "an exciting hour and a half" with the evening's film. 3rd clip - Just a hint of excitement as Bettina Schmitz introduces an imported police series. 4th Clip - Silhouetted bizarrely over the end of the preview of "Weihnachtsmänner haben's schwer" (The Man in the Santa Claus Suit, USA, 1979), and still clutching her notes, Angelika Kallmayer segues neatly into introducing the next programme... (although the clip fades out before she gets to say much!)
Angelika Kallmayer1990 Angelika Kallmayer
1990 Bettina Schmitz
1990 Angelika Kallmayer
1990 Christmas
Pro7 Video Promo1989
Mondays at 21:15 - a series of the best dance films from the disco age, with a VHS collection tie-in offer.
Pro7 Nachrichten1992
Norbert Anwander's news bulletin leads with the worsening war in the former Yugoslavia.
The channel rebranded as ProSieben in 1994, with a range of sophisticated stings and idents, before reaching its peak of popularity - 9.9% of the audience share - in 1995. Much of this was due to a high proportion of American imports (the promos below are for "The Naked Gun" and "All Together Now") largely shunned by the state broadcasters, and with its new look, the channel continued to distance itself visually from them too.
Advertising Sting1994 Advertising Sting
1994 Promo - Die Nackte Pistole
1994 Promo - Pro7 Comedy
1994
Promo1998
Monday night is mystery night on ProSieben, with "The X Files" and "Outer Limits". This promo ends with ProSieben's tagline of the period: "Gute Unterhaltung" - rather cheekily appropriating a very common German phrase, which is used equivalently to the English "Enjoy!" but simply means "good entertainment" - it's as if ProSieben is claiming to have the monopoly on such a thing...
ProSieben Promos2006
By 2006 ProSieben's presentation kit centred on a versatile tickertape/filmstrip device across the centre of the screen, which was used to link seamlessly promos, end credits, captions and even commercials (sometimes embedded in the end-credits) - resulting in a rather "non-stop" effect, and discouraging viewers from changing the channel.