Deutsche Welle: Worldwide interest in German parliamentary elections

On Sunday, September 22, DW’s programming will focus on Germany’s parliamentary elections. Deutsche Welle is set to present results, analysis and background reports as well as interviews with election winners and losers. Beginning at 15:30 UTC, DW's six TV channels will each present several hours of special programming in German, English, Spanish and Arabic. Additionally, all of the information is available at DW's multimedia special "German Elections 2013" - supplemented by live reporting on social media sites.

On Sunday evening, election results and their impacts - on Germany, Europe and other countries and regions around the world - will be discussed in talk shows on DW television. On the German-language TV channels DW (Asien) and DW (Amerika), Deutsche Welle's coverage will include a roundtable discussion among the leading political parties' candidates on election night, produced by German public broadcasters ARD and ZDF. DW is also offering a special program highlights bulletin that outlines its election coverage.

Christoph Lanz, DW's Director of Global Content, commented: "Feedback from viewers shows that there is a great interest in German parliamentary elections around the world. People want to know who is steering Germany politically. Developments and decisions in Europe's largest economy are followed closely in many parts of the world – not least in view of the euro crisis."

DW is also providing extensive coverage of the upcoming parliamentary elections via radio as well as online in 30 languages. The multimedia special "German Elections 2013" offers its users reports on election campaigns, interviews, surveys, infographics and analysis on topics like Germany's foreign policy and economy. The focus throughout is on how people elsewhere view Germany. For example, one picture gallery presents a selection of caricatures of Angela Merkel, exploring what the world thinks of the German chancellor.

Christian Gramsch, Director of Regionalized Content said: "We have been asking our users: What is your message to Germany? These short statements are being incorporated into a virtual tour through the plenary chamber of Germany's parliament, the Bundestag. In the feature 'Five Questions, Five Answers,' a graphical interface provides an overview of the main political parties' positions. In addition to up-to-date coverage, our audience around the world expects from us in particular clarification, context and background information."

On the day, Deutsche Welle will also reach out to users around the globe via social media. For example, DW reporters will be accompanying parliamentary candidates on location. Writing in English and in German, correspondents will use Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms to provide coverage from polling stations and party headquarters (#dwelections).

In the lead-up to the elections, DW is reporting extensively on the election campaign, for example in the weekly TV magazine People and Politics. The daily news program Journal features interviews with the leading candidates from each of the parties that currently hold seats in the German Bundestag along with portraits of the incumbent chancellor and her challengers. For its German-language programming, DW will include further politically-focused content from its domestic partners ARD and ZDF, such as "Das TV-Duell," "Die Debatte" and "TV-Dreikampf." All TV content will also be available via Livestream or on-demand at DW’s Media Center.

The DW website (www.dw.de) will cover the elections in 30 different languages.