Recommendations of the Editorial team
A report by the “Bild” newspaper ensures immense vertebrae: According to this, the ZDF is said to have considered internally not extending the contract with Jan Böhmermann before the summer break.
As a reason, the leaf mentions a lack of balance and disappointing odds of the “ZDF Magazin Royale”. Two anonymous sources report with alleged insider views that the format is “too one-sided” for some decision-makers, the response is too low.
According to the “BILD”, the decision to extend was also made against the background of not triggering a comparable wave of outrage after the controversial US Talk-Show Removal of Jimmy Kimmel-and not making Böhmermann a “martyr figure”.
The ZDF clearly rejects the presentation on request
The collaboration with Böhmermann and his production unit “Entertainment television Ehrenfeld” should continue in 2026-both with the “ZDF Magazin Royale” and with formats such as “Let yourself be monitored!”. The ZDF emphasized this on request.
“We are in conversations for this,” says the broadcaster. ZDF adds to “T-Online”: “This intention was never under question.” So far, however, an official contract extension has been pending.
Media scientist Christine Horz-Ishak from TH Cologne emphasized the relevance of the format in an interview with the magazine “Stern”:
“The ‘ZDF Magazin Royale’ is one of the few programs that still take the mandate of the fourth violence seriously – critically, educational, democratic promoting.” In his opinion, a dismissal would be a “dramatic signal”.
Böhmermann has been at ZDF, initially on ZDF culture and ZDFneo since 2012, with ZDF Magazin Royale in the main program since 2020. Finally, it was announced that the number of programs per year should be reduced from 33 to 20.