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In a significant move towards modernising television broadcasting, ZDF, one of Germany's major public broadcasters, announced plans to switch to HD broadcasting on November 18, 2025. This transition marks the end of standard definition (SD) broadcasting for the majority of public channels in Germany.

According to a report published in 2023, titled the "Astra TV Monitor 2023", nearly all households in Germany now receive their TV programs in HD quality. This shift towards HD has been a gradual process, with the partner programs Arte and Phoenix ending their SD broadcasts in November 2022 and at the beginning of 2025, respectively.

The report also indicated that all major cable network providers in Germany, such as Vodafone and Pyur, will end the distribution of SD channels. Major cable network providers, including those like Vodafone, ended the cable distribution of these channels in SD, which is also planned for ZDF.

While private broadcasters in Germany are expected to maintain SD broadcasts, public broadcasting channels may no longer be viewable on outdated TV devices without HD reception. The move by ZDF to end SD broadcast meets the expectation of economic and frugal use of broadcasting fees.

The survey findings suggest that all major German private broadcasters will continue to be available in SD for the foreseeable future. However, those who have not upgraded their TV devices will need a new TV or an additional device for ARD and ZDF, as the last public broadcasting channels in SD will be switched off by major cable network providers this year.

The exact date when the last public standard definition broadcast channels will be taken off air by cable network providers like Vodafone in Germany is not yet publicly available. ZDF's announcement was made in Mainz, Germany, with the intention of reducing costs for program distribution.

In the transition, ZDF will broadcast ZDF, ZDFinfo, ZDFneo, 3sat, and KiKA exclusively in HD quality from November 18, 2025. The survey by the German Press Agency was conducted to gather insights into this shift in broadcasting technology.

This transition to HD broadcasting by ZDF is a significant step towards modernising television broadcasting in Germany and aligning with the global trend towards HD and 4K content. It is expected that this transition will provide a better viewing experience for the German audience.