bremen NEXT

What bremen NEXT does

bremen NEXT is the youth-oriented digital-first radio program of Radio Bremen, itself an Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts (public-law institution) and member of Germany's ARD consortium of public broadcasters. The program broadcasts on FM (96.7 MHz in Bremen, 92.1 MHz in Bremerhaven) and via digital livestream, delivering programming across Hip Hop, Electro, House, and Drum & Bass formats with daily morning and afternoon shows, overnight music programming, and a Sunday lofi slot. Its core audience is Gen Z and Alpha listeners in the Bremen and Bremerhaven regions, with additional reach via the ARD Sounds app, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

The product portfolio centers on linear radio broadcasting, layered with on-demand extensions: weekly curated DJ shows (Punchline, Rewind, Bassdrive, Push, Mixed), an original podcast slate (Kennst du BTS?, Die Millionendiebin – Staffel 2, Musste durch, TELEKADDI, Spielabbruch, Chai Society, Süchtig nach Alles), and live event coverage spanning regional festivals (Deichbrand, Weser Beach Festival, TurnUp BRMN, House im Wald) and individual concerts. Distribution leverages licensed FM spectrum, encrypted and unencrypted MP3 livestream via icecast.radiobremen.de at 128 kbps, and the ARD Sounds mobile platform. Event scheduling is exposed via iCalendar (.ics) feeds, and editorial content is published across social surfaces.

The business model is non-commercial. As a constituent program of a public broadcaster, bremen NEXT is funded through the German Rundfunkbeitrag, the mandatory household broadcasting fee that supports ARD and other public broadcasters. There is no subscription, advertising, or transactional revenue stream; the service is free to listeners. Outreach to schools (Zukunftstag career days, editorial visits, media competency workshops, Bremen NEXT DAYS intensive programs) functions as both a public-affairs mandate and a youth-pipeline exercise rather than a revenue channel. Operational scope is fixed to a two-city German market, with globally accessible streaming as an undifferentiated ancillary surface.

Name

bremen NEXT

Legal name

Radio Bremen

Website

https://bremennext.de

Company type

Public

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

bremen NEXT is a youth-oriented public radio program of Radio Bremen, broadcasting Hip Hop, Electro, House, and DnB on FM, livestream, and the ARD Sounds app for Gen Z and Alpha listeners in Bremen and Bremerhaven.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Sound Recording Studios (51224)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Local Radio Stations (MPABACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Non-Interactive Digital Radio (Lean-Back Streaming) (MPAIACAB), Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE), Audio Learning Content (Podcasts, Audiobooks, Listening Programs) (EDAGALAM)

Keywords

• Public radio broadcasting
• Youth media programming
• Digital audio streaming
• Podcast production
• Event coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Bremen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Broadcasting (Rundfunkbeitrag): As a constituent program of Radio Bremen, part of the ARD consortium of German public broadcasters, Bremen NEXT is funded through the compulsory broadcasting license fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) paid by all German households. No commercial revenue model is disclosed as the service is free to listeners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bremen NEXT is a digital-first youth program of Radio Bremen that broadcasts contemporary music (Hip Hop, Drum and Bass, House, Electro) and produces original podcasts and DJ shows for young audiences in the Bremen and Bremerhaven regions. The service is distributed via FM radio, digital livestream, the ARD Sounds app, and social media, and is complemented by coverage of local festivals and concerts, plus community engagement programs such as journalism internships and media competency workshops.

Product overview

Bremen NEXT is a public radio station targeting young audiences in Bremen and Bremerhaven, operated by Radio Bremen (ARD member). The product portfolio centers on radio broadcasting (Hip Hop, Drum and Bass, House music) with daily programming including morning show (Stunnah), afternoon show (Larissa), Music nonstop, and Lofi Sunday. Supporting this core radio product, the station offers DJ show series (Punchline, Rewind, Bassdrive, Push, Mixed) available on-demand, original podcasts (Kennst du BTS?, Die Millionendiebin, Musste durch, Chai Society, etc.), and live event coverage including major festivals (Deichbrand, Weser Beach) and concerts. Content distribution extends through the ARD Sounds App, social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube), and livestream. Community engagement includes internships, editorial visits, and media workshops. Events can be synced to personal calendars via iCalendar feeds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Radio Broadcasting (Bremen NEXT) FM radio station broadcasting Hip Hop, Drum and Bass, and House music on 96.7 MHz in Bremen and 92.1 MHz in Bremerhaven, with daily programming including morning show (10:00-14:00 with Stunnah), afternoon show (14:00-18:00 with Larissa), Music nonstop (18:00-00:00 and 00:00-06:00), and Lofi Sunday (Sunday 9:00-10:00). Free to listeners as a public broadcasting service.
• DJ Shows Weekly DJ show series including Punchline (German rap and US Hip Hop, Wednesdays 20:00-22:00), Rewind (high BPM bass music, Thursdays 20:00-22:00), Bassdrive (bass music for club, Fridays 20:00-22:00), Push (House/Deep House/Tech House/Techno, Saturdays 20:00-22:00), and Mixed (party music by DJ EASMO, LUNAX, DJ ROXY on rotating schedules). Available on-demand via ARD Sounds app.
• Podcasts Original podcast series including 'Kennst du BTS?' (K-Pop band documentary), 'Die Millionendiebin – Staffel 2' (True Crime set in Bremen), 'Musste durch – mit Levi und Fabi' (Gen Z & Alpha podcast), 'TELEKADDI' (children's series analysis), 'Spielabbruch' (amateur football violence), 'Süchtig nach Alles' (addiction and lifestyle), and 'Chai Society' (cultural discussions). Free to listeners.
• Events Coverage and Promotion Coverage and promotion of concerts, festivals, and events in Bremen, Bremerhaven, and surrounding areas. Featured events include Deichbrand Festival (July 16-19, 2026), Weser Beach Festival, TurnUp BRMN, Ferdinands Feld, Hill of Dreams, House im Wald, and individual concerts by artists such as Monet192, badmómzjay, 1986zig, and Montez.
• Digital Livestream Online audio streaming of Bremen NEXT radio programming accessible worldwide. Available in encrypted (HTTPS) and unencrypted (HTTP) formats at 128kbps MP3 via icecast.radiobremen.de servers. Includes song title search functionality. Free to listeners.
• Community Engagement Programs Media education and participation programs including journalism internships (mandatory school internships and voluntary orientation internships), NEXT Redaktionsbesuch (editorial visits for school classes up to 25 participants), Bremen NEXT DAYS (intensive 8-16 hour workshops for 8-12 participants covering journalism and Instagram content creation), and Zukunftstag (future career day). Offered as part of public broadcasting mandate.
• ARD Sounds App Mobile application integrating Bremen NEXT's radio program, on-demand DJ shows, podcasts, event information, and community campaigns in a single platform. Available via app store download (iOS and Android). Free to users as part of the ARD public broadcasting network.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ARD (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBremen NEXT operates as a constituent program of Radio Bremen, which is a member of the ARD consortium. This partnership provides access to the ARD Sounds application platform, shared broadcasting infrastructure, and the collective public broadcasting mandate and funding framework.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Spotify: Spotify competes with Bremen NEXT for Gen Z listening time via its music streaming service and aggressive podcast editorial strategy. While structurally very different (commercial subscription vs. public broadcaster), it is the dominant alternative audio destination for Bremen NEXT's target audience.
• COSMO: COSMO is a multi-ARD public radio program focused on music and cultural diversity, co-produced by WDR, NDR, and rbb. It competes with Bremen NEXT for culturally diverse young listeners and editorial recognition (CIVIS award winner).
• ARD Sounds: ARD Sounds (formerly ARD Audiothek) is the cross-ARD podcast and audio platform that Bremen NEXT migrated to in July 2026. It is both a distribution partner and a competitor for youth listener attention across all ARD youth programs.

Direct peers

• SWR3 (SWR): SWR3 is the flagship pop/youth-oriented program of Südwestrundfunk (SWR), an ARD member covering Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. While broader in scope than Bremen NEXT, it shares the ARD public-broadcaster youth-radio model.
• 1LIVE (WDR): 1LIVE is the youth program of Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), one of ARD's largest broadcasters. It operates the same youth-radio-plus-podcast-plus-digital model for North Rhine-Westphalia, making it the most direct structural peer to Bremen NEXT.
• N-JOY (NDR): N-JOY is the youth program of Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), the ARD member serving northern Germany. It shares the exact same model as Bremen NEXT: publicly funded youth radio with podcasts, livestream, and social media presence, targeting Gen Z listeners in its region.
• MDR JUMP (MDR): MDR JUMP is the youth-oriented program of Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR), an ARD member serving Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. It operates a comparable youth radio + podcast + digital distribution model for central Germany.
• PULS (Bayerischer Rundfunk): PULS is the youth program of Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), ARD's Bavaria member. It mirrors Bremen NEXT's format with Hip Hop/Electronic music, podcasts, livestream, and event coverage targeted at young audiences in its regional footprint.
• Fritz (rbb): Fritz is the youth radio program of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb), an ARD member. It runs a youth-oriented music and lifestyle format with podcasts and events, making it a close structural peer in the ARD youth-radio ecosystem.

Regional players

• Bremen Vier: Bremen Vier is the general-interest pop music program of Radio Bremen, the same parent organization as Bremen NEXT. It shares infrastructure, frequencies strategy, and parent resources with Bremen NEXT, making it the closest sibling program peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/bremenNEXT
• Facebookfacebook.com/bremennext
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bremen-next
• Instagraminstagram.com/bremennext
• TikToktiktok.com/@bremennext?lang=de-DE

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 bremen NEXT