3sat
3sat is a non-commercial German-language public service television channel jointly operated by ZDF, ARD, ORF, and SRG since 1984, delivering ad-free cultural, science, and documentary programming to audiences across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland via satellite broadcast and the 3sat Mediathek streaming platform.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersMainz, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What 3sat does
3sat is a German-language public service television channel that has broadcast since 1 December 1984, established jointly by ZDF (Germany), ORF (Austria), and SRG (Switzerland) and joined by ARD in 1993. It is operated as a non-commercial joint institution (Gemeinschaftseinrichtung) of these four public broadcasters, with programming contributions split ZDF 32.5%, ARD 32.5%, ORF 25%, and SRG 10%, and is led by ZDF from its Mainz headquarters with coordination offices in Vienna (ORF), Zurich (SRG), and Munich (ARD coordination at Bayerischer Rundfunk). The channel carries no advertising and is funded through the public license fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) regimes across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with reach defined by the German-speaking DACH region.
The core product surface comprises the 3sat Mediathek on-demand streaming platform plus the live satellite and cable television feed, supported by flagship editorial brands including the daily cultural magazine Kulturzeit (since 1995) and the science magazine nano (since 1999), extended through sub-properties such as nano Doku, 3satDokumentarfilmzeit (documentary film slot), 3satKrimisommer and 3satFestspielsommer (seasonal programming blocks), and the comedy format Till Reiners' Happy Hour. Distribution layers include the 3sat website, a 3satText teletext service, a newsletter, the Pressetreff press portal, and social channels on YouTube, Instagram, and the Mastodon instance zdf.social. Technology integrations are limited to Matomo web analytics (IP-anonymized, EU-resident) and standard embed/share functions; no public API is exposed.
Customer segmentation is horizontal across the German-speaking general audience with an emphasis on culture and science enthusiasts. Revenue mechanics are non-commercial: 3sat does not charge viewers directly, and its operating capacity is set by partner broadcaster contributions and the broader license-fee pool. Customer concentration is structurally High by design, with four counterparties (ZDF, ARD, ORF, SRG) providing essentially all of 3sat's programming and funding. The current strategic risk is a regulatory one: the Swiss government's austerity programme is expected to materially reduce SRG's contribution to 3sat alongside 270 million CHF in cuts at SSR by 2029.
3sat firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 3sat
- Legal name
- 3sat
- Website
- https://3sat.de
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- 3sat is a non-commercial German-language public service television channel jointly operated by ZDF, ARD, ORF, and SRG since 1984, delivering ad-free cultural, science, and documentary programming to audiences across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland via satellite broadcast and the 3sat Mediathek streaming platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
3sat industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Service Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Satellite Telecommunications (51741)
- SIC
- Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International TV Broadcasters (Free-to-Air/Satellite/Cable) (MPABAEAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- International Multilingual/Diaspora Broadcasters (MPABAEAG), Satellite Video & Media Distribution (DTH, Contribution/Distribution, Occasional Use) (HDAIAJAG)
Keywords
Where 3sat is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mainz
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
3sat business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Public broadcasting funding: 3sat is funded through license fees collected from households in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland as part of the public broadcaster funding system. No commercial advertising.
- Partner broadcaster contributions: Programming is contributed by partner broadcasters ZDF (32.5%), ORF (25%), SRG (10%), and ARD (32.5%) who fund the production costs
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
3sat product offering
Product offeringCore offering
3sat is a German-language public service television channel and online streaming platform (3sat-Mediathek) that broadcasts and provides on-demand access to cultural, scientific, documentary, and societal programming for audiences in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Programming is jointly produced and funded by four public broadcasters — ZDF, ARD, ORF, and SRG — and is delivered free of charge with no commercial advertising.
Product overview
3sat is a joint German-language public service television channel operated by four broadcasters: ZDF (32.5%), ARD (32.5%), ORF (25%), and SRG (10%). The core product is the 3sat-Mediathek, a streaming platform providing on-demand access to live TV broadcasts and archived programming. Key program products include cultural magazine 'Kulturzeit' and science magazine 'nano', both co-produced by all partners. The platform features specialized content slots like '3satDokumentarfilmzeit' (documentary film programming), 'nano Doku' (documentary investigations), and comedy show 'Till Reiners' Happy Hour'. Programming is organized into categories spanning culture, science, society, film, documentary, and comedy. Supplementary services include the 3satText teletext service, newsletter, and a press portal for media professionals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 3sat-Mediathek (Streaming Platform) Primary streaming platform offering on-demand access to 3sat's television programming including live TV, documentaries, films, series, and cultural content for German-speaking viewers.
- Live-TV (Live Television Broadcast) Real-time satellite and cable broadcast of 3sat's television programming distributed across the German-speaking region.
- Kulturzeit Daily cultural magazine show providing news and coverage of cultural topics, co-produced by all 3sat partner broadcasters.
- nano (Science Magazine) Science and technology news magazine covering scientific developments and future trends, co-produced by all 3sat partners.
- nano Doku (NANO Documentary) Extended documentary format with in-depth investigations into scientific and societal topics, companion to the nano magazine.
- 3satDokumentarfilmzeit (Documentary Film Time) Monthly programming slot featuring weekly documentary film premieres and notable international documentaries.
- Till Reiners' Happy Hour Stand-up comedy and cabaret show featuring established and emerging comedians, broadcast since 2011.
- 3satFestspielsommer Annual summer programming event featuring classical music performances and festival coverage.
- 3satKrimisommer Summer crime series programming block featuring detective shows and thrillers such as Polizeiruf 110 and Spreewaldkrimi.
Companies that use 3sat
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
3sat technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature3 records
3sat partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- TV5MondeminorInternational broadcaster receiving reduced contributions from Swiss public broadcaster SSR as part of government austerity measures affecting 3sat partner SRG.
- ARTEminorEuropean culture channel occasionally co-produces content shown on 3sat. Documentary films like 'Inselwelt Philippinen' are co-productions with ARTE.
- ARD (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland)coreConsortium of German regional public broadcasters. Joined 3sat in 1993. Provides 32.5% of programming. Coordinates from Munich (Bayerischer Rundfunk).
- ZDF (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen)coreGerman public broadcaster serving as the lead (federführend) managing 3sat operations. Provides 32.5% of programming. Founded in 1963, based in Mainz.
- ORF (Österreichischer Rundfunk)coreAustrian public broadcaster, founding partner of 3sat. Provides 25% of programming. Coordinates 3sat operations from Vienna office.
- SRG (Schweizerische Radio- und Fernsehgesellschaft)coreSwiss public broadcaster, founding partner of 3sat. Provides 10% of programming. Coordinates 3sat operations from Zurich office.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights4 records
3sat competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
3sat social profiles
Digital presence3sat financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
3sat leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
3sat funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
3sat M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 3sat
What does 3sat do?
3sat is a German-language public service television channel and online streaming platform (3sat-Mediathek) that broadcasts and provides on-demand access to cultural, scientific, documentary, and societal programming for audiences in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Programming is jointly produced and funded by four public broadcasters — ZDF, ARD, ORF, and SRG — and is delivered free of charge with no commercial advertising.
Is 3sat a public or private company?
3sat is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was 3sat founded?
3sat was founded in 1984. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is 3sat based?
3sat is headquartered in Mainz, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does 3sat make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Public broadcasting funding is the primary driver. The others are partner broadcaster contributions.
Does 3sat have an API?
No public API is recorded for 3sat.
What industry is 3sat in?
3sat's product category is Public Service Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABAEAJ, International TV Broadcasters (Free-to-Air/Satellite/Cable), with a secondary code of MPABAEAG, International Multilingual/Diaspora Broadcasters. Its NAICS code is 51612 and its SIC code is 4833.