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The German public broadcaster, ZDF, has announced that it will be ending its SD broadcasting, a move that could impact households still relying on SD-compatible TV devices for reception.

This decision, made to reduce costs for program distribution, is part of a larger trend towards HD and digital television in Germany. The ZDF family of channels, including ZDF, ZDFinfo, ZDFneo, 3sat, and KiKA, will only broadcast in high-definition (HD) quality from November 18, 2025.

The survey by the German Press Agency did not specify the timeline for when major German private broadcasters will stop being available in SD. However, all major private broadcasters in Germany plan to continue being available in SD for the foreseeable future.

The partner programs Arte and Phoenix have already ended SD cable distribution, with Arte ending it in November 2022 and Phoenix at the beginning of 2025. Large cable network operators, such as Vodafone and Pyur, have also ended SD cable distribution for Arte and Phoenix, and plan to do the same for ZDF.

According to the "Astra TV Monitor 2023" industry report, approximately 2.7 million TV households in Germany still have only SD devices at home. Households that have not upgraded their TV devices will need a new TV or an additional device for ARD and ZDF.

It's important to note that the ZDF's decision to end SD broadcasting does not apply to ARD, as they ended SD distribution earlier. The use of low-quality SD reception is barely used in Germany, making this transition less disruptive for most viewers.

The ZDF's move to end SD broadcast also meets the expectation of economic and thrifty handling of broadcasting fees. Private TV channels in Germany can still be received in SD quality without additional payment for the time being, but the trend is towards HD with many broadcasters phasing out SD. Public broadcasters like ZDF will switch exclusively to HD on November 18, 2025, while private channels often require an HD+ subscription for HD; without it, viewers continue to receive them in SD.

In conclusion, the ZDF's decision to end SD broadcasting is a significant step towards a more digital and HD-focused television landscape in Germany. Households that have not yet upgraded their TV devices should consider doing so to ensure they can continue to receive their favourite programs in the best possible quality.