heute

heute
Part of the heute opening sequence. The sequence is integrated into the virtual studio.
Also known as	heute journal (21:45) heute nacht (late-night) heute in europa (Today in Europe, 16:00) heute in deutschland (Today in Germany, 14:00) heute mittag (Today at Midday, 12:00)
Format	News
Presented by	Petra Gerster Matthias Fornoff Barbara Hahlweg Ralph Szepanski
Production
Producer(s)	ZDF
Running time	Main bulletin: 20 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	ZDF
Original run	1963 – present

heute (German for today) is a television news program on the German channel ZDF. The main program is broadcast at 7 PM, and includes news, a weather forecast and sports news. The opening sequence of each broadcast features an analogue clock, a signature element of the program.

History

The first heute broadcast took place on 1 April 1963, the day ZDF itself started broadcasting.

heute was originally broadcast from 19.30 to 20.00 CET; on February 1, 1965 the show was split into two parts - heute (19.30 to 19.45 CET) and themen des tages (19.45 to 20.00 CET). From January 1, 1969 the themen des tages was dropped so that evening programs could start earlier.

In 1973, broadcast of the the program was moved to 7PM, where it remains today.

Present-day

The main program is broadcast at 7 PM and usually has a length of 20 minutes (including a weather forecast).

Around 21.45 CET, a longer, more in-depth show called heute-journal is broadcast, which is similar to Tagesthemen on Das Erste.

Identity

For most of its run, the program's title music was preceded by the letters h-e-u-t-e in morse code (···· · ··- - ·). In 1998 this was integrated with the title music, and the dots and dashes are no longer distinguishable.

On 17 July 2009 a new virtual studio debuted, featuring redesigned graphics and the integration of the title sequence to the studio in most editions.

External links

• Official website