das  Staatsfernsehen

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʃtaːtsˈfɛʁnzeːən/

📺 What Exactly is Staatsfernsehen?

Das Staatsfernsehen refers to television broadcasters that are *directly controlled, operated, and financed by the state. Unlike öffentlich-rechtlicher Rundfunk* (public broadcasting), which is often financed by fees but is intended to be more independent in its programming, das Staatsfernsehen is typically subject to direct state influence on content and reporting.

The term is often used in discussions about media freedom and political systems. Depending on the context and country, it can be a neutral description or carry a critical connotation (e.g., implying propaganda or censorship).

It's a compound noun (Zusammengesetztes Substantiv): der Staat (the state) + das Fernsehen (the television) = das Staatsfernsehen.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar and Declension of Staatsfernsehen

The word Staatsfernsehen is a neuter noun (sächlich). Therefore, the article is das. It is normally only used in the singular.

Singular Declension

📝 Example Sentences

• Das Staatsfernsehen berichtete ausführlich über den Besuch des Präsidenten.
  (The state television reported in detail on the president's visit.)
• Viele Bürger misstrauen den Nachrichten des Staatsfernsehens.
  (Many citizens distrust the news from the state television.)
• Die Opposition kritisierte die einseitige Berichterstattung im Staatsfernsehen.
  (The opposition criticized the biased reporting on state television.)
• Die Finanzierung des Staatsfernsehens erfolgt direkt aus dem Staatshaushalt.
  (The financing of the state television comes directly from the state budget.)

🗣️ Usage in Context

The term Staatsfernsehen is mainly used in political, media, and social discourse.

• Critical Connotation: The term is often used to criticize a lack of independence and potential propaganda in authoritarian or undemocratic states. Example: "Die Berichte im Staatsfernsehen zeichnen ein geschöntes Bild der Realität." (The reports on state television paint a sugarcoated picture of reality.)
• Descriptive Use: Sometimes the term is used more neutrally to describe the organizational form of a broadcaster directly run by the state.
• Distinction: It's important to distinguish Staatsfernsehen from *öffentlich-rechtlicher Rundfunk* (public broadcasting, like ARD and ZDF in Germany). Public broadcasters are intended to be independent of the state (staatsfern) and serve society as a whole, whereas state television is directly subordinate to the state. ⚠️ This distinction is crucial!

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: Think of das Fernsehen (television). If you already know it's das Fernsehen, the article stays the same when combined with Staat: das Staatsfernsehen.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine the Staat (state), represented by a high-ranking official, sitting right next to the anchor in the Fernseh (TV) studio, whispering what to say. That's (exaggeratedly) the idea behind Staatsfernsehen – television directly controlled by the state.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

🚨 Caution: The terms are not always clear-cut, and their usage strongly depends on the political system of the respective country. What is considered öffentlich-rechtlich in one country might exhibit characteristics of Staatsfernsehen in another context.

😄 A Little Joke

Frage: Was ist der Unterschied zwischen dem Wetterbericht im Staatsfernsehen und einer Zwiebel?

Antwort: Wenn man eine Zwiebel schneidet, weint man – aber die Tränen sind echt.

Question: What's the difference between the weather forecast on state television and an onion?

Answer: When you cut an onion, you cry – but the tears are real.

📜 Poem about the Term

Auf dem Schirm, in bunten Bildern,
Soll die Welt sich uns erschließen.
Doch wer lenkt, was sie uns schildern?
Wessen Wahrheit soll da sprießen?

Das Staatsfernsehen, klar und laut,
Verkündet oft des Herrschers Sicht.
Mancher schaut und mancher traut,
Mancher sucht ein andres Licht.

On the screen, in colourful pictures,
The world should open up to us.
But who directs what they depict?
Whose truth is meant to blossom there?

State television, clear and loud,
Often proclaims the ruler's view.
Some watch and some trust the crowd,
Some seek another light, anew.

🧩 Who or What Am I?

Ich sende Bilder in jedes Haus,
Finanziert vom Staat, das ist der Brauch.
Meine Nachrichten sind oft gefärbt,
Weil die Regierung sie gern vererbt.
Unabhängigkeit ist nicht mein Ziel,
Kritik an mir gibt es viel.

Was bin ich?

Lösung: Das Staatsfernsehen

I send pictures into every home,
Financed by the state, that's how I roam.
My news is often colored, it's true,
Because the government likes its view.
Independence is not my aim,
Criticism often speaks my name.

What am I?

Solution: State television (das Staatsfernsehen)

💡 Other Information

Word Composition:

The word Staatsfernsehen is a compound noun (Kompositum), composed of:

• der Staat: (the state) A political entity or organization ruling over a specific territory and its population.
• das Fernsehen: (television) The technology for transmitting moving images and sound, as well as the corresponding medium and its programs.

Historical Context: In many (formerly) socialist or authoritarian countries, Staatsfernsehen played and continues to play a central role in disseminating official ideology and controlling public opinion (e.g., Fernsehen der DDR in East Germany).