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ARD Reportedly Overhauls ‘Hart aber fair’ With Fewer Main Shows and New Klamroth Formats

The reported package draws fresh scrutiny of fee-funded spending as viewership under Louis Klamroth trails the Frank Plasberg era.

Overview

  • Industry outlet Medieninsider, cited by multiple publications, reports that from 2026 the flagship ‘Hart aber fair’ will be reduced to 15 televised editions per year.
  • Three additional formats are said to be in the works for Louis Klamroth—‘Hart aber fair 360’, ‘Hart aber fair spezial’ and ‘Press play’—with a fourth concept reportedly under internal discussion.
  • Coverage attributes a production package of roughly €12–12.5 million to the restructured lineup, with Klamroth’s fee reported at €18,000 per episode.
  • Based on the reported episode count of 58 over two years, Klamroth’s remuneration would exceed €1 million across that period.
  • Recent ratings cited by ARD’s program leadership put the 2025 average at about 2.44 million viewers, still below the show’s audience under long-time host Frank Plasberg, fueling debate over costs and editorial choices.