ORF eins

ORF eins
Launched	1955
Owned by	ORF
Picture format	576i (SDTV) or 720p (HDTV)
Country	Austria
Formerly called	Fernsehprogramm (1955-1967) 1. Programm (1967-1980) FS1 (1980-1992) ORF1 (1992-2011)
Sister channel(s)	ORF2
Website	tv.orf.at/program/orf1
Availability
Terrestrial
Digital	PAL, Normally tuned to 1 in Austria
Satellite
Digital	via Astra
Cable
Cablecom	Channel 007 (digital CH-D)

ORF eins (English: ORF one) is an Austrian television channel. It was the first television channel in Austria, started in 1955.

ORF eins is one of four public TV channels in Austria. ORF eins broadcasts TV series and featured films, whereas ORF2 focuses on cultural programming and information. ORF Sport Plus is the new sports channel, but, ORF eins continues broadcasting of important sports events. Since it has to compete with a wider range of German private TV channels via cable or satellite, ORF programming focuses on a mainstream audience.

Programming

ORF1 logo used until January 2011.

ORF eins mostly shows films and episodes. In the morning a children's program called okidoki is broadcast. Popular sports like skiing, Formula One and association football are also shown on ORF eins . ORF broadcasts its news program Zeit im Bild (The Times in Pictures) and the Magazine on ORF2. Until April 9, 2007, Zeit im Bild was shown on ORF eins and ORF2 simultaneously at 7:30 p.m.. ORF1 then began to show a daily soap opera during the eight o'clock hour, but on July 1, 2007, it was replaced by Malcolm in the Middle (which has been replaced by Two And A Half Men) due to low ratings. Aside from this, there are news programs several minutes long at various times during the day, with the name ZiB Flash. After 8 p.m., the news program, called ZiB 20, is now broadcast; which replaced the old Newsflash.

In comparison with the German channel ARD, ORF competes, on the one hand, with the second channel of its own broadcast service. ORF is closed to parts of the large German market because its programs are encrypted over satellite. In certain regions of Germany, e.g. Bavaria ORF can be received terrestrial without encryption. On the other hand, the big German private channels compete with ORF within Austria, because of their broadcast over cable television and unencrypted satellite. Therefore, the ORF is positioned only in Austria as a mainstream media, and seldom experiments with new programming.

High definition broadcast

On January 28, 2008, the ORF started its high-definition services. The first broadcast was a ski race called The Nightrace in Schladming. A special HDTV event, introducing HD technology, was scheduled in all regional ORF stations right after. The technological partner for HD productions is Telekom Austria.^[1]

In anticipation of the 2008 UEFA European Football Championship, the ORF launched its new channel ORF1 HD. Since few ORF-made shows and movies are available in high-definition, many standard-definition programs are upscaled to achieve 720p quality.

Reception

ORF1 HD is broadcast on Astra 19.2 degrees east on 10,832 GHz horizontal (SR 22000, FEC 5/6). Test operations started on May 1, 2008. 10 days later, ORF1 HD was available to those households, who owned an ORF or Premiere card. Those who could receive ORF1 HD, saw a trailer, showing sport, film and documentation highlights.^[2] The programme is also available through Cable and IPTV.^[3][4]

The official start of ORF1 HD was June 2 2008, just a few days before the start of Euro 2008. Since then, the output of ORF1 is broadcast in high definition.

Programming

Contrary to initial expectations, just small sporting events have been broadcast in HD after Euro 2008. The HD output of ORF1 HD is limited to imported American TV series such as CSI: Miami, House M.D., Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives. Note that Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy are broadcast in both English and German. Also, most Sunday evening movies are broadcast in HD.

Branding

ORF1 branding in 2011

Due to a redesign in 2000, ORF1 received a new logo: a moving, gelatinous cube with the number 1 inside. The logo has been lovingly nicknamed "Jelli."

In 2005, there was another update to ORF's on-screen design. To avoid a burning in of the logo onto plasma screens, it is no longer green but gray all-over.

In 2010, it was announced that ORF1 would be rebranded as "ORF eins" from January 8, 2011.

Theme Music

The theme of ORF1 was composed by Hannes Bertolini in 2000.

Parental guidance

ORF abridges some movies due to child-protection rules, but less often than German stations. ORF identifies its programs with initials: X (not for children), O (adults only), or with no initial. The sign K+ (recommended for children) is shown only as teletext.

References

1. ^ http://www.pressetext.at/pte.mc?id=107677 „Telekom Austria und ORF realisierten technische Netzkonfiguration für HDTV“ Pressetext.at vom 23. 1. 2008
2. ^ http://www.digitalfernsehen.de/news/news_301696.html
3. ^ http://digital.orf.at/show_content2.php?s2id=830
4. ^ http://www.telekom.at/site/produkte/tv/aontv_hd/

External links

• ORF
• ORF1 TV Listings