Schweizer Fernsehen
Schweizer Fernsehen was SRG SSR’s German-language television division for German-speaking and Romansh Switzerland, later merged into Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF).
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Schweizer Fernsehen, commonly abbreviated SF, was the German-language television division of Switzerland’s public broadcasting organization SRG SSR. Its remit was to produce and distribute television programming for German-speaking Switzerland and, historically, the Romansh-speaking part of the country. The organization was headquartered in Zürich and operated as a regional public-service broadcaster rather than as an independent commercial television company. The division’s origins are connected with Switzerland’s early television development. Test television transmissions began in 1939, establishing the technical and institutional foundations for regular Swiss television. Advertising was introduced in 1964, and colour broadcasting began in 1968. In 1984, the broadcaster introduced teletext, extending its public-information role beyond conventional scheduled programming. The same year it participated with Germany’s ZDF and Austria’s ORF in launching 3sat, a multinational German-language cultural and educational television service. For much of its history the organization used the name SF DRS, derived from Schweizer Fernsehen der deutschen und rätoromanischen Schweiz, meaning Swiss Television of German and Romansh Switzerland. A major rebranding in 2005 shortened the public-facing name to Schweizer Fernsehen, or SF. The change aligned the television operation with a more concise network identity while retaining its public-service mandate. SF developed a portfolio of channels serving different audience and programming roles. SF 1 was the principal general-interest channel and carried news, information, entertainment, culture and other flagship programming. SF zwei provided a second general channel with a stronger emphasis on entertainment, sport and programming aimed at varied or younger audiences. SF info was an information-oriented service that began in the Zürich region in 1999 and expanded across German-speaking Switzerland in 2001. The division’s most viewed programme was Tagesschau, the daily evening news bulletin broadcast at 7:30 p.m., which became one of the central institutions of Swiss German-language television. The broadcaster also participated in the development of high-definition television. In 2007 it helped launch HD suisse in cooperation with SRG SSR’s French- and Italian-language television divisions, TSR and RSI. HD suisse transmitted in 720p quality and provided a dedicated high-definition outlet. In 2012, HD transmission was introduced for SF 1, SF zwei and SF info, while HD suisse was closed as the services migrated toward high-definition distribution on the principal channels. Schweizer Fernsehen ceased to exist as a separate brand through a staged integration with Schweizer Radio DRS. The merger process began on 1 January 2011, bringing the television and radio operations together under the Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen structure. On 16 December 2012, the integration was completed and the SF and SR DRS identities were replaced by SRF across the television and radio services. The successor SRF continues the German-language public broadcasting function, but Schweizer Fernsehen is no longer an active standalone broadcaster.
History
Schweizer Fernsehen was the German-language television operation of SRG SSR, Switzerland’s public broadcasting organization. Its service area covered German-speaking Switzerland and, in the earlier formulation of its name, the Romansh-speaking part of the country. The division was based in Zürich and combined the public-service functions of television production, scheduling, transmission and information provision. Swiss television development began with test transmissions in 1939. Regular television broadcasting subsequently evolved within the national public-service broadcasting system. Advertising entered the television service in 1964, while colour transmissions began in 1968, marking the transition from the earliest monochrome medium to modern television distribution. In 1984, Schweizer Fernsehen introduced teletext, providing viewers with text-based news and service information through their television sets. That year it also became one of the partners behind 3sat, a German-language cultural channel established with ZDF in Germany and ORF in Austria. The broadcaster was long known as SF DRS, an abbreviation of Schweizer Fernsehen der deutschen und rätoromanischen Schweiz. This title explicitly described its linguistic and geographic remit. In 2005, the division undertook a major rebranding and adopted the shorter Schweizer Fernsehen name, commonly abbreviated as SF. The new identity was used across its television presentation and channel portfolio. SF’s principal channels were SF 1, SF zwei and SF info. SF 1 functioned as the main general-interest service and carried the largest range of public-service content. SF zwei added a second programming stream, with entertainment, sport and other complementary content. SF info began in the Zürich region in 1999 and expanded to the whole of German-speaking Switzerland in 2001, strengthening the division’s dedicated information offering. The daily Tagesschau bulletin, scheduled at 7:30 p.m., was the organization’s most viewed programme and a defining part of its news service. Technological development became increasingly important in the 2000s. In 2007, SF collaborated with TSR and RSI, the French- and Italian-language television operations of SRG SSR, on HD suisse. The channel used 720p high-definition transmission and offered a shared Swiss platform for HD programming. In 2012, HD transmission was extended to SF 1, SF zwei and SF info. HD suisse was then closed as the main channels took over high-definition distribution. The final phase of Schweizer Fernsehen’s history was organizational rather than technological. On 1 January 2011, the television division and Schweizer Radio DRS began a merger process. The objective was to bring the German-language public radio and television operations into one integrated organization. The merger was completed on 16 December 2012. At that point SF and SR DRS adopted the common Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen, or SRF, identity. Schweizer Fernsehen therefore became a historical brand and no longer operates as a separate television division, while its public-service programming functions continue under SRF.
- 2012
Main SF channels adopt HDTV transmission
[1]SF 1, SF zwei and SF info introduced HDTV transmission, replacing the need for HD suisse as a separate high-definition outlet.
- 2012
SF identity replaced by SRF
[1]The merger with Schweizer Radio DRS was completed on 16 December, and the television and radio services adopted the SRF name.
- 2011
Merger process with Schweizer Radio DRS begins
[1]Schweizer Fernsehen and Schweizer Radio DRS began the process of forming a unified German-language radio and television organization.
- 2007
HD suisse launches
[1]SF joined TSR and RSI in launching the 720p high-definition service HD suisse.
- 2005
SF DRS rebrands as Schweizer Fernsehen
[1]The division adopted the shorter Schweizer Fernsehen name and the SF identity.
- 2001
SF info expands across German-speaking Switzerland
[1]SF info extended its coverage from the Zürich region to German-speaking Switzerland.
- 1999
SF info launches in Zürich
[1]SF info began broadcasting in the Zürich region as an information-oriented channel.
- 1997
SF zwei launches
[1]The second major SF television channel, SF zwei, was launched.
- 1984
Teletext introduced and 3sat launched
[1]Schweizer Fernsehen introduced teletext and participated with ZDF and ORF in launching 3sat.
- 1968
Colour broadcasting begins
[1]Swiss television began transmitting programmes in colour.
Products and positioning
A Swiss public-service television broadcaster serving German-speaking and Romansh Switzerland, with a broad portfolio spanning news, information, culture, entertainment and sport.
Television channel
SF 1
SF 1 was Schweizer Fernsehen’s principal general-interest television channel. It carried the broadest mix of public-service programming, including news, current affairs, culture, entertainment and other national programming. It was also one of the main channels converted to HDTV transmission in 2012.
Television channel · 1997
SF zwei
SF zwei was the second major Schweizer Fernsehen channel, launched in 1997. It complemented SF 1 with a separate schedule and was associated with entertainment, sport and programming for varied audience segments. The service later adopted HDTV transmission before the SF brand was replaced by SRF.
Information television channel · 1999
SF info
SF info was Schweizer Fernsehen’s information-focused television service. It began broadcasting in the Zürich region in 1999 and expanded to German-speaking Switzerland in 2001. Its role was to provide a dedicated outlet for news and information programming alongside the broader schedules of SF 1 and SF zwei.
High-definition television channel · 2007
HD suisse
HD suisse was a joint SRG SSR high-definition service created by Schweizer Fernsehen together with TSR and RSI. It transmitted in 720p quality from 2007. The service was closed in 2012 when HDTV distribution was introduced on SF 1, SF zwei and SF info.
Television news programme
Tagesschau
Tagesschau was Schweizer Fernsehen’s flagship daily news programme and its most viewed programme. The principal bulletin was broadcast at 7:30 p.m. and served as a central source of national and international news for German-speaking Swiss television audiences.
Brand decisions
2012
Move principal channels to HDTVGeneration changeBackground
The dedicated HD suisse service had provided high-definition programming, while the main SF channels had not yet all transmitted in HD.
Action taken
SF 1, SF zwei and SF info introduced HDTV transmission, and HD suisse was closed.
Aftermath
High-definition distribution became part of the main channel portfolio rather than a separate SF service.
2012
Complete the merger into SRFM&ABackground
The integration of Schweizer Fernsehen and Schweizer Radio DRS was intended to create a unified German-language public broadcasting organization.
Action taken
On 16 December 2012, the merged operation adopted the Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen, or SRF, name.
Aftermath
Schweizer Fernsehen ceased to operate as a standalone brand, while its television functions continued under SRF.
2011
Begin integration with Schweizer Radio DRSM&ABackground
SRG SSR sought to combine its German-language radio and television operations into a unified media organization.
Action taken
Schweizer Fernsehen and Schweizer Radio DRS began a formal merger process on 1 January 2011.
Aftermath
The process culminated in the creation of Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen and the retirement of the SF brand in December 2012.
2007
Launch a shared high-definition serviceProduct launchBackground
SRG SSR’s language-region television services were developing a common high-definition offering.
Action taken
Schweizer Fernsehen cooperated with TSR and RSI to launch HD suisse in 720p quality.
Aftermath
HD suisse was later closed when HDTV transmission moved to the principal SF channels.
2005
Adopt the Schweizer Fernsehen brandStrategyBackground
The television division had historically operated under the longer SF DRS name, which described its German- and Romansh-language remit.
Action taken
The organization introduced the shorter Schweizer Fernsehen name and the SF identity in a major rebranding.
Aftermath
The SF identity remained in use until the organization was integrated into SRF in 2012.
Sources2 sources
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