Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg

What Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg does

Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb) is a public-law broadcasting institution (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) serving the German states of Berlin and Brandenburg. Founded in 2003 through the merger of Sender Freies Berlin (SFB) and Ostdeutscher Rundfunk Brandenburg (ORB), rbb operates as a member of the ARD consortium, the cooperative of German public broadcasters. The institution employs approximately 1,999 staff across its primary headquarters in Berlin (Masurenallee 8-14) and a secondary location in Potsdam-Babelsberg (Marlene-Dietrich-Allee 20), with additional regional studios throughout the two federal states.

rbb delivers content across a multi-platform portfolio: the regional television service rbb Fernsehen (with separate Berlin and Brandenburg channel windows), six radio stations (Antenne Brandenburg, rbb24 Inforadio, Fritz, radioeins, radio3, and rbb 88.8, plus the co-produced COSMO with WDR), the digital news platform rbb24, and on-demand presence through ARD Mediathek and ARD Sounds. Signature content brands include the investigative political magazine Kontraste, the crime series Tatort and Polizeiruf 110, the satire show Nuhr im Ersten, the cultural film series rbb QUEER, and the children's program Unser Sandmännchen (for which rbb serves as lead broadcaster). The technical infrastructure spans broadcast television production facilities, radio studios, FM/DAB+ transmission, web and app delivery (including Chromecast, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa integrations), and shared ARD systems including the IVZ (Informations-Verarbeitungs-Zentrum) for IT services.

rbb's business model is anchored in the mandatory Rundfunkbeitrag (broadcasting fee) of EUR 18.36 per month per apartment, collected centrally through the ARD billing service and allocated to member broadcasters, supplemented by advertising revenue from the market-leading radio stations Antenne Brandenburg and radioeins. Projected 2026 revenue is EUR 534.8 million against planned expenses of EUR 530.9 million, with a target surplus of EUR 3.9 million. The broadcaster is governed by a 32-member Rundfunkrat (Broadcasting Council) and a Verwaltungsrat (Administrative Council), under state legal supervision by the Berlin Senate and Brandenburg state government on a rotating two-year basis, with Intendantin Ulrike Demmer as CEO.

Name

Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg

Legal name

Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb)

Website

https://rbb-online.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb) is the public-law broadcaster for the German states of Berlin and Brandenburg, operating regional television, six radio stations, and digital news platforms as a member of the ARD consortium, funded primarily by the mandatory household broadcasting fee.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Broadcasting

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

National Public Television Networks & Member Stations (PBS-style) (MPABADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public/Noncommercial Radio Broadcasting (NPR, Community, Campus) (MPAIAEAB), Public Broadcasting Production Units & Studios (In-house/Member) (MPABADAF)

Keywords

• Public broadcasting
• Regional television
• Radio programming
• News journalism
• Digital media

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Rundfunkbeitrag (Broadcasting Fee): Mandatory public broadcasting fee of 18.36 Euro per month per apartment, collected independently of actual usage. Revenue allocated through ARD consortium to member broadcasters including rbb.
2. Commercial Revenue (Antenne Brandenburg & radioeins): Market-leading radio stations generating advertising revenue. Antenne Brandenburg achieved 9.9% market share in Berlin and 18% in Brandenburg (ma 2025/II). Radioeins increased Berlin market share to 12.2%.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb) is a regional public broadcaster for the German states of Berlin and Brandenburg, operating television (rbb Fernsehen), multiple radio stations, and digital news platforms. It produces regional news, cultural programming, and entertainment content, and contributes programming to the national ARD network, including content for the ARD Mediathek.

Product overview

Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb) is a public-law broadcasting institution serving the Berlin and Brandenburg region, operating as part of the ARD consortium. Its media portfolio comprises a multi-platform news operation (rbb24), a regional television service (rbb Fernsehen split into Berlin and Brandenburg channels), seven radio stations (Antenne Brandenburg, radioeins, Fritz, radio3, rbb 88.8, Inforadio, and COSMO co-produced with WDR), and digital platforms including the ARD Mediathek and ARD Sounds. Key content brands include the investigative magazine Kontraste (also aired on Das Erste), the Tatort and Polizeiruf 110 crime series, the satirical show Nuhr im Ersten, and the beloved children's program Unser Sandmännchen (for which rbb is the lead broadcaster). rbb operates from two main locations — Berlin (Masurenallee 8-14) and Potsdam-Babelsberg (Marlene-Dietrich-Allee 20) — and is governed by the Rundfunkrat and Verwaltungsrat under Intendantin Ulrike Demmer. The broadcaster maintains a documented commitment to AI transparency and financial stability with a 2026 projected budget of 534.8 million euros in revenue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• rbb24 Digital news platform delivering up-to-date regional news, politics, culture, and sports coverage for the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan area.
• rbb Fernsehen Regional television channel broadcasting news, documentaries, cultural programs, and entertainment tailored to audiences in Berlin and Brandenburg.
• rbb Radio Stations A portfolio of radio stations including information, cultural, and music programming for regional audiences in Berlin and Brandenburg.
• ARD Mediathek Content On-demand video and audio content from rbb available via the joint ARD Mediathek streaming platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18% market share (Antenne Brandenburg, Brandenburg) and 12.2% market share (radioeins, Berlin)

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration21 records

AI capability4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ARD (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerrbb is a member of ARD consortium of German public broadcasters. Cooperates on national programming including Das Erste channel, ARD Mediathek, ARD Foto, and joint initiatives. Shares infrastructure including IVZ (Informations-Verarbeitungs-Zentrum) for IT services and Saarländischer Rundfunk (SR) for newsletter distribution. Participates in joint commissioning including ARD Degeto film productions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Deutschlandradio: National public radio broadcaster funded through Rundfunkbeitrag with comparable public-law status and similar public service broadcast mission to rbb's radio operations (Antenne Brandenburg, Inforadio, etc.).
• Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR): ARD-member public broadcaster for North Rhine-Westphalia, operating TV, radio, and digital channels with the same funding model (Rundfunkbeitrag). Directly comparable regional public broadcaster with similar mandate, scale, and content portfolio including co-productions with rbb (e.g., rbb QUEER).
• Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR): ARD-member public broadcaster serving Hamburg and northern German states. Directly comparable in funding structure (Rundfunkbeitrag), multi-platform operations (TV, radio, online), and joint productions with rbb including Unser Sandmännchen and Debüt im rbb.
• Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR): ARD-member public broadcaster for Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, with the same public-law status and Rundfunkbeitrag funding. Joint production partner with rbb on Tatort, Sandmännchen, and Grimme-Preis-winning children's content.
• Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR): ARD-member public broadcaster for Bavaria with comparable public funding structure, multi-channel TV/radio portfolio, and digital platforms. Co-produces rbb QUEER and other joint content with rbb.
• Südwestrundfunk (SWR): ARD-member public broadcaster serving Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, with same funding model and comprehensive TV/radio/digital operations comparable in scale and mandate to rbb.
• Hessischer Rundfunk (hr): ARD-member public broadcaster for Hesse with the same Rundfunkbeitrag funding, regulatory framework, and multi-platform (TV, radio, online) public service broadcasting mandate. Co-produces children's content with rbb.

Broad incumbents

• ZDF (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen): Germany's national public television broadcaster, jointly funded by Rundfunkbeitrag along with ARD members. Operates at larger national scale than rbb and shares content through ZDF Mediathek, complementing rbb's regional ARD role.
• RTL Deutschland: Germany's largest commercial broadcaster operating TV channels and streaming platform RTL+. Targets the same Berlin-Brandenburg audience as rbb via advertising-funded competition and serves as a benchmark for non-public broadcast business models.
• BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation): UK public service broadcaster funded via license fee with broadly analogous public-mandate model, multi-platform (TV/radio/online) operations and regional programming comparable in spirit to rbb's Berlin-Brandenburg focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rbbonline
• YouTubeyoutube.com/rbb24
• Facebookfacebook.com/abendschau.rbb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rundfunk-berlin-brandenburg
• Instagraminstagram.com/rbb24/?hl=de

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg