The idea for the “morning magazines” came about during the Gulf War. Now there is reason to celebrate.
A birthday party for the early risers: The “Morgenmagazine” (“Moma”) from ARD and ZDF are 30 years old. Since July 1992, the two major public broadcasters have been broadcasting a wide range of information on politics, business, sport and culture Monday to Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
“With political interviews in the morning, they also often shape the news agenda of the day,” said ZDF and WDR.
“In troubled times like these, ‘Moma’ is a reliable anchor for our audience,” explained WDR editor-in-chief for politics and current affairs Ellen Ehni, according to the broadcaster’s announcement. “And at the same time it is spontaneous and flexible and reacts directly to current events and developments. If the need for information is particularly great, then ‘Moma’ simply stays on the air longer.” Or you can insert an extra issue at the weekend.
“Right after getting up in the morning, viewers get a clear overview of the latest developments in politics, business, sport and culture,” added ZDF editor-in-chief Peter Frey. “The show is also characterized by looking ahead: What is important today?”
The “ARD morning magazine” went on the air for the first time on July 13, 1992, and the “ZDF morning magazine” then broadcast for the first time a week later, on July 20. The idea for the “morning magazines” from ARD and ZDF came about during the Gulf War in 1991. At that time, ARD and ZDF wanted to inform the public about current developments in the morning.
This year, too, the topic of war is a news driver in the show: In order to keep viewers up to date on the latest developments in the war in Ukraine, the “Morgenmagazine” from ARD and ZDF broadcast on the last February and first March Weekend of this year also on Saturday and Sunday.
With a market share of 20.7 percent in the current year 2022, the “Morgenmagazin” is still the leader among German early information programs. The number of viewers who tune in to “Moma” every day is currently 3.87 million nationwide, compared to 1.76 million in 1992. (dpa)