Overview
- WDR has approved a plan to convert its multicultural station Cosmo into a hip‑hop‑focused outlet called 1Live Street and to rename related youth channels.
- The decision has prompted a large public backlash that includes a petition with more than 100,000 signatures and public statements from artists such as Herbert Grönemeyer and AnnenMayKantereit.
- Protesters and more than 500 cultural, academic and media organizations say the restructuring risks cutting mother‑tongue and migrant‑focused shows that many communities rely on.
- The electronic duo Mouse on Mars returned their 1Live Krone as a symbolic protest, and the German Music Council called for ARD‑level support to preserve Cosmo’s role.
- WDR says the new format will still target a culturally diverse, urban audience but critics say the change shifts resources away from representation and could reduce access for listeners who use Cosmo as a dedicated platform.