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ZDF Plans Earlier Saturday Slot for 'heute-journal' From January 2026

The decision follows October tests showing roughly four million viewers at 9:45 p.m., with subsequent crime reruns still above three million.

Overview

  • ZDF confirmed it intends to schedule the Saturday edition at 9:45 p.m. starting January 10, 2026, pending approval from its governing boards.
  • The change creates a uniform start time that already applies from Sunday to Thursday, with Friday remaining the sole weekly exception.
  • ZDF frames the move as improving reliability for viewers and better matching their demand for a consistent news slot.
  • The network will keep flexibility to air the bulletin later on nights with special Saturday shows.
  • The shift largely reverses a policy from about 15 years ago that pushed Saturdays later to protect fixed times for crime repeats and the ‘Aktuelles Sportstudio’.