Network name	Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen
Network logo
Country	Germany
Network type	Broadcast television network
Available	National; also distributed in: Austria Luxembourg Switzerland Liechtenstein Belgium Italy Netherlands Denmark
Headquarters	Mainz, Germany
Key people	Markus Schächter, Director General
Launch date	1 April 1963
Website	www.zdf.de

Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (English: "Second German Television"), ZDF, is a public-service German television channel based in Mainz. It is run as an independent non-profit agency established by joint contract between the German federal states (Bundesländer). ZDF is funded by a television licence and advertising revenue.

The station began broadcasting on 1 April 1963 from Eschborn. The channel broadcast its first programme in colour in 1967. In 1974 ZDF moved its base of operations to Mainz-Lerchenberg, after briefly being located in Wiesbaden.

Finances

Licensing fees required for Radio and TV sets are €17.98 per month, as of 1 January 2009. For radio reception alone, the monthly fee is €5.76 These fees are not collected directly by the ZDF but by the GEZ that is a common organisation of ARD, its members, ZDF and Deutschlandfunk.

Transmission and reception

Antenna

As ZDF is a channel, not a network, the channel is broadcast without any regional variation or affiliates throughout the country, using a number of signal repeaters. Prior to the reunification of Germany, ZDF, like ARD, positioned many of its transmitters in locations which made it easier to watch in extensive areas of the GDR, where both channels were viewed by large parts of the population.

ZDF transmitters have been switched from analogue to digital signal, a project which began in 2002 and was completed in 2008. Digitally, the ZDF mux contains the main ZDF channel itself, 3sat, ZDFinfokanal (ZDF's topical information and news channel), KI.KA (children's channel; daytime only), ZDFneo (youth oriented).

ZDF does not run any transmitters itself. Throughout the analogue days, all ZDF transmitters were run by the Deutsche Bundespost which was later privatized as Deutsche Telekom's subsidiary T-Systems Media Broadcast. (This is in contrast to the other public German broadcaster, ARD, which owns its main transmitters.) ZDF was not previously allowed to use ARD's transmitters. Changes to the law in the 1990s mean that since the digital switchover, ZDF uses both ARD and Telekom transmitters.

Cable

ZDF has also been relayed by cable since the days of the first cable pilot projects.

Satellite

The first Europe-wide satellite broadcast via Astra 1C began in August 1993 during the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin (IFA - "International Broadcasting Exhibition") in Berlin. In the same decade, these new technologies were used to enable digital broadcasting of ZDF. Today, ZDF is available free-to-air throughout Europe via Astra 1H (19.2 degrees East) and Hotbird 6 (13 degrees East).

Other ZDF channels

ZDF also operates the channels KI.KA, Arte, Arte HD, 3sat and Phoenix in cooperation with other networks. Included in its digital offering, called ZDFvision are the channels ZDFneo (formerly ZDFdokukanal), ZDFinfokanal, ZDFtheaterkanal and ZDF HD. Today ZDF is Europe's largest television network.

Design

ZDF's animated station identity mascots, the Mainzelmännchen (a play on the words "Mainz" and "Heinzelmännchen"), created by Wolf Gerlach in 1963, quickly became popular and are still shown between commercials. In 1976 graphic designer Otl Aicher made a corporate design for ZDF.

Administration

Administratively ZDF is headed by a director general (Intendant), who is elected by the ZDF Television Council, the composition of which is in turn determined by the "societally relevant groups" named in the ZDF contract. Since the founding of the network in 1963, the following have held the office of Intendant:

1963 - 1977: Karl Holzamer

1977 - 1982: Karl-Günter von Hase

1982 - 2002: Dieter Stolte

since 2002: Markus Schächter

Membership

ZDF became a fully active member of the European Broadcasting Union in 1963.

ZDF is a supporter of the Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) innitiative (a consortium of broadcasting and Internet industry companies including SES Astra, OpenTV and Institut für Rundfunktechnik) that is promoting and establishing an open European standard for hybrid set-top boxes for the reception of broadcast TV and broadband multimedia applications with a single user interface.

Programmes

Aktenzeichen XY... ungelöst

The Bold And The Beautiful (Reich & Schön)

Dance Academy (2010)

Derrick (cancelled)

Die größten Musical Hits (The Greatest Musical Hits)

Disco

Dog City

Ein Fall für Zwei

Fraggle Rock (Die Fraggles)

In Plain Sight

Jack Holborn Christmas (1982 mini-series)

Lafer! Lichter! Lecker! (2006-2010)

Markus Lanz (2008-2010)

Mino (1986 Christmas mini-series)

Heute (Newscast)

Der Kommissar (cancelled)

Kultnacht

The Old Fox (Der Alte)

The Young And The Restless (Schatten der Leidenschaft)

Veronica Mars

Wetten, dass..?

Rockpop

Rock Pop Music Hall (cancelled)

ZDF-Magazin (1969–1988)

Audience share (March 2008): 13.4%, from 14–49 years 7.1%.

External links

Official site Official site

References

Category:Publicly funded broadcasters Category:German television networks Category:German-language television networks Category:Television stations in Germany Category:Television channels and stations established in 1963 Category:Mainz Category:European Broadcasting Union members

Name	Ennio Marchetto
Caption	Ennio Marchetto photographed by Greg Gorman
Birth date	February 20, 1960
Birth place	Venice, Italy
Occupation	Stage comedian
Website	http://enniomarchetto.com/

Ennio Marchetto (born 20 February 1960 in Venice) is an Italian comedic live entertainer whose performances feature quick-change artistry, impersonations and his trademark bi-dimensional paper costumes. In his one hour show he goes through 50 costume changes, often in front of the audience without hiding behind drapes or screens and without any assistance by stage hands.

Biography

Marchetto was born adjacent to Carlo Goldoni's home. Inspired by cartoons, especially those by Walt Disney, modern dance performances like those choreographed by Pina Bausch and the mime performer Lindsay Kemp, his career began during the 1980s with various performances during the Venetian Carnival. After winning his first awards in 1987 and 1988, he started to perform on various television shows and in theatres around Italy. In 1988 was the beginning of the collaboration with Dutch costume designer Sosthen Hennekam. His costumes are created from cardboard and paper, often folding from one character into another character. He has around 350 characters in his repertoire. His characters are often celebrities, but also include other cultural icons and works of art.

His first international engagement was during the 1989 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where his show became a cult hit. His show has travelled all over the world ever since and has been part of major television productions worldwide.

Awards

1987: Golden Lion, Venice Entertainment Festival

1988: Zanzara d'Oro, "Best New Comedian" category, Bologna

1994: nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment

1995: "Best Show", Cannes Performance d'Acteur

1996: FAD Sebastià Gasch Award, Barcelona

1999: nominated for Drama Desk Award for a "Unique Theatrical Experience", New York

1999: Back Stage West Garland Award, "Best Costume Design" category, Los Angeles

2008: nominated for the IRNE Award, "Best solo performance at a large theatre" category, Boston

External links

Ennio Marchetto's official web site

Ennio Marchetto Theatre Trailer HD on YouTube

Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:Italian entertainers Category:LGBT people from Italy

Name	Paul Potts
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Paul Robert Potts
Born	October 13, 1970, Kingswood, South Gloucestershire, England, He has two brothers and one sister. Potts attended St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, where he developed his love of singing. He also sang with the choir at Chester Park Junior School and with the choirs at several Bristol churches, including Christ Church. Potts said in interviews that he had been bullied in school, and that experience may have made him lack self-confidence. He has also said that his voice had always been a source of solace in the past when he was bullied. In 1996, Potts was elected the youngest member of Bristol City Council; a Liberal Democrat, he served until 2003. Potts was a manager at mobile phone store Carphone Warehouse in Bridgend. After winning Britain's Got Talent, Potts took a six-month sabbatical from his job, and resigned on 5 March 2008.
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Name	Potts, Paul
Date of birth	13 October 1970

Category:Opera crossover singers Category:English tenors Category:English male singers Category:Reality show winners Category:Britain's Got Talent contestants Category:People from Kingswood Category:People from Neath Port Talbot Category:1970 births Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:Living people Category:Sony BMG artists Category:Marjon alumni

Martin Sonneborn (born 15 May 1965 in Göttingen, Germany) is a German satirist. He was editor-in-chief of the humorist magazine Titanic from 2000 to October 2005. Since November 2006 he has worked for Spiegel Online.

He is the founder and leader of the satirical political party Die PARTEI, one of whose aims is to rebuild The Wall in Germany.

He became famous for his efforts in 2000 to bring the 2006 FIFA World Cup to Germany by offering FIFA officials a small gift for their vote in favor of Germany. He documented this episode in a book, Ich tat es für mein Land. Wie TITANIC einmal die Fußball-WM 2006 nach Deutschland holte: Protokoll einer erfolgreichen Bestechung. (ISBN 3-936261-37-7). See Titanic (magazine)#2006 FIFA World Cup bribery affair.

In November 2007 he was heavily criticised by UK media for a "Find Maddie Ad" in the Titanic magazine, a satirical reference to the media coverage of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

In late 2009, he was criticized in a Chinese newspaper for "hurting the feelings of the Chinese people" in a broadcast about the 2009 Frankfurt Book Fair on ZDF's satirical late-night program "Die heute-Show".

Bibliography

Ich tat es für mein Land. Wie TITANIC einmal die Fußball-WM 2006 nach Deutschland holte: Protokoll einer erfolgreichen Bestechung. Bombus, München 2005, ISBN 978-3-936261-37-0.

Das Partei-Buch: Wie man in Deutschland eine Partei gründet und die Macht übernimmt. Kiepenheuer & Witsch Verlag, Köln 2009, ISBN 978-3-462-04090-6.

Heimatkunde: Eine Expedition in die Zone. Ullstein Hc, 29. September 2010, ISBN 978-3-550-08791-2.

Filmography

2008: Heimatkunde

2009: Die PARTEI

References

Category:Living people Category:1965 births Category:German satirists

Name	Declan Galbraith
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Declan John Galbraith
Born	December 19, 1991
Origin	Hoo St Werburgh, Kent, England
Instrument	Vocals, guitar, piano
Genre	Pop
Occupation	Singer
Years active	2002–present
Label	Starwatch Music (2006 - 2008) EMI (2002–2006)
Url	Official website

Declan John Galbraith (born 19 December 1991, Hoo St Werburgh, Kent) is an English singer of Irish and Scottish origin.

Early influence

When Galbraith was small, his grandfather, who played several instruments in a band, took Galbraith to Fleadhs (concerts) he was participating in, and the mix of Scottish and Irish musical traditions. Declan knew that he wanted to be a singer when he saw his grandfather in his band.

Musical career

Galbraith's talent was publicly acknowledged for the first time when at just 7 years old. Declan used to have help swerve at GSW, a waterpump company. He insisted on performing spontaneously at the annual Rochester Dickens Festival, a two-day extravaganza where people were invited to dress up in Victorian costumes to celebrate the life and times of the famous author Charles Dickens and his links with their town. Galbraith, dressed up as a chimney sweep, started singing and the crowd went wild. Soon after this he started to enter local talent contests and within a year he had won 15 titles and more than £1,000.00.

As a result of his success in the talent shows, the major recording companies soon heard about Galbraith and he was signed to his first recording contract in England. His first recording was "Walking in the Air", which was released on a special Christmas Hits album, also featuring Westlife, Elton John and Elvis Presley. Galbraith loves to sing to live audiences and among some of his most memorable performances are, the Queen's Jubilee at St Paul's Cathedral, when he sang "Amazing Grace" accompanied by the St Paul's Choir and an unforgettable experience when singing in front of more than 22,000 people at an Elton John concert.

His first self-titled album, Declan, with Irish traditional songs and some specially written material became a big success and charted in the U.K. and Ireland. Within the year of release, it had soon sold 200,000 copies in Germany.

Another big success came during a nationwide tour of Young Voices concerts when breaking the Guinness World Record. It was at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast in December 2002 when he sang live with some 10,000 children and was also simultaneously linked, by radio and satellite, with more than 80,000 children in their schools all over the UK, who accompanied him in achieving the world’s largest choral sing.

Galbraith's talent and reputation came to the attention of media mogul Haim Saban and his music President, Ron Kenan, who signed Galbraith to Saban Music Group's new record label. They have chosen Germany to be the very first territory in the world to launch their first produced album, via the Starwatch Music label.

Galbraith amicably parted company with his management in Feb 2010. He's currently battling major contractual issues that prevent any releases in the time being. Galbraith is said to be returning to full time education, which he had to partly give up when he was 14 years old, due to his musical obligations.

In July 2010, it was announced on his official forum that he has joined up with the Route 66 theatre show casts to tour England from July to September 2010.

Fame

Although Galbraith is a British citizen and singer, he is more famous and well-known abroad, especially in China, whereas his songs were chosen as part of the Chinese education curriculum for learning English. Galbraith's songs are used to help Chinese children learn English as his songs are easy to remember and suitable for children. In May 2008, Galbraith undertook a successful two cities tour in China, the cities included were Beijing and ShenZhen.

Discography

Albums

Declan (2002)

Thank You (2006)

You and Me (2007)

Singles

"Tell Me Why" (2002)

"Love of My Life" (2007)

"Ego You" (2007)

Covers

"Tears in Heaven" (2006)

"Love of My Life" (2007)

References

External links

Declan Galbraith FOD members on Facebook

Declan Galbraith Official Website

Declan Galbraith Official Forum

Category:English child singers Category:English male singers Category:English people of Irish descent Category:English people of Scottish descent Category:English television actors Category:1991 births Category:Living people