The West German post office began building a second network of transmitters to cover all of West Germany (and as much of East Germany as it could reach from outside) in 1960, but it wasn't until 1963 that Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (second German television) began regular broadcasts. This was to be a nationally operated state channel, completely separate from the ARD network operated by the regional state broadcasters in Germany, and not without some initial resistance from those broadcasters, who weren't willing to part with a share of the TV licence fee without a fight. In addition to its now undisputed share of the TV licence, ZDF (like the ARD) is allowed by law to show up to 20 minutes of advertising daily, before 8pm only.
Idents & Continuity
ZDF News
Heute Nacht1998
Heute Nacht is the in-depth late night edition of ZDF's news output; Günther Neufeldt leads here with an election story in Saxony-Anhalt which dates the clip to either October 1990, June 1994 or April 1998.
