Welt
A German free-to-air television channel focused on news, business, documentaries, and current affairs.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Welt is a German free-to-air television news channel operated by WeltN24 GmbH, a subsidiary of Axel Springer SE. The service is primarily known for rolling news, business reporting, financial-market coverage, documentaries, and current-affairs programming. It broadcasts news at the top of each hour and serves as the television arm of the broader Welt media brand, which also includes the Die Welt newspaper and associated digital publishing activities. The channel began broadcasting as N24 on 24 January 2000. Its launch followed ProSieben Media's unsuccessful attempt to acquire the established German news channel n-tv. ProSieben Media instead developed its own news operation, acquired the German news agency ddp, and established N24 using resources from ProSieben's news department. The original service was launched from ProSieben Media's headquarters in Unterföhring near Munich. In its early phase, N24 worked with Bloomberg Television to provide live reporting on international financial markets and also supplied news bulletins to ProSieben and Kabel 1. After ProSieben Media acquired Sat.1 in 2000 and reorganized as ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, N24 moved to Berlin in July 2001. The news operations of N24 and Sat.1 were combined, creating closer operational links between the channel and the group's other television services. The financial difficulties surrounding KirchMedia, ProSiebenSat.1's majority owner, together with the downturn following the dot-com boom and the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, led to significant cost reductions in the early 2000s. Some N24 newscasts were replaced by lower-cost documentaries, while business and stock-market coverage was reduced. During this period, some remaining market reports were sourced from CNBC Europe rather than produced entirely in-house. N24 later rebuilt its business-news output. In 2007 it introduced daily programmes including Börse am Mittag and Börse am Abend, restoring a more visible role for financial-market reporting. The channel also underwent further changes to its Berlin facilities. In 2010, ProSiebenSat.1 sold N24 to a group of private investors led by former Der Spiegel editor Stefan Aust, while retaining an agreement under which N24 continued to produce news bulletins for ProSieben, Sat.1, and Kabel 1 for a defined period. Axel Springer acquired N24 in 2013 and combined the channel with Die Welt's newspaper and digital operations under the WeltN24 structure. This created a unified news brand spanning television, print, and online media. On 21 September 2017, WeltN24 announced that N24 would be renamed Welt; the rebranding took effect on 18 January 2018. The new identity aligned the television service with the established Welt newspaper brand while preserving the channel's role as a rolling-news and factual broadcaster. A related documentary service, N24 Doku, launched in September 2016 as a free-to-air, one-hour-delayed timeshift service carrying much of Welt's afternoon output and substituting some morning news with documentaries. An Austrian version was also distributed through satellite platforms for several years, although the Austrian feed was discontinued in February 2021. In early 2024, the channel adjusted its schedule after losing contracts to provide news programming for ProSiebenSat.1 properties and following the closure of Bild TV. The changes included less weekend news and a greater emphasis on sport. Welt remains an active German television brand within Axel Springer's news portfolio, combining hourly news with business, documentary, factual, and current-affairs programming.
History
Welt originated as N24, a news channel launched by ProSieben Media on 24 January 2000. ProSieben Media had attempted to acquire the established German news broadcaster n-tv but, after that effort failed, pursued the creation of a separate news operation. The company acquired the German news agency ddp and consolidated ProSieben's existing news department to support the new channel. N24 initially broadcast from ProSieben Media's headquarters in Unterföhring near Munich. At launch, N24 combined general news with a substantial business and financial-market component. In cooperation with Bloomberg Television, it carried live reports from international financial markets. It also produced news bulletins for ProSieben and Kabel 1, giving the channel a wider role within its parent company's television portfolio. After ProSieben Media acquired Sat.1 in 2000 and became ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, N24 moved to Sat.1's Berlin headquarters in July 2001. The news departments of the two services were combined, linking N24 more closely with Sat.1's factual and news production. The early 2000s brought financial and strategic pressure. KirchMedia, the majority owner of ProSiebenSat.1, filed for bankruptcy in 2002. Although ProSiebenSat.1 itself was not insolvent, uncertainty over ownership and the broader market downturn after the dot-com bubble and the September 11 attacks encouraged extensive cost-cutting. N24 reduced or eliminated a number of afternoon, evening, and weekend newscasts and substituted less expensive documentary programming. Business reporting was also reduced, and certain market reports were obtained from CNBC Europe rather than produced internally. The channel later restored part of its financial-news identity. In 2007 it introduced Börse am Mittag and Börse am Abend, daily programmes centered on market developments. Further property and organizational changes occurred in Berlin during the following years. In 2008, ProSiebenSat.1 sold its Berlin property and planned to move Sat.1 back to Unterföhring, while N24 relocated within Berlin. In 2010, ProSiebenSat.1 sold N24 to a private-investor group led by Stefan Aust. The transaction did not immediately end N24's role as a supplier of television news: the channel remained contractually responsible for providing bulletins to ProSieben, Sat.1, and Kabel 1 for at least part of the following decade. Axel Springer acquired N24 in 2013 and combined it with Die Welt to establish the WeltN24 organization. This transaction connected television news production with the newspaper's print and digital activities. N24 Doku launched on 17 September 2016 as a free-to-air documentary-focused timeshift channel. It generally delayed Welt's afternoon schedule by one hour and replaced some morning news with documentaries. An Austrian satellite feed was also introduced in various forms, but the Austrian service was eventually discontinued in February 2021. The central brand change came after WeltN24 announced in September 2017 that N24 would be renamed Welt. The change took effect on 18 January 2018, bringing the television station under the same principal name as Die Welt. The renamed service retained hourly news and a broad factual schedule, including business coverage, documentaries, current affairs, and talk programming. In early 2024, the channel adjusted its output after it no longer held contracts to provide news for ProSiebenSat.1's television properties and after Bild TV closed. The revised schedule contained less news at weekends and more sport. Welt consequently functions today as an active German news and factual television brand within Axel Springer's WeltN24 structure, with a broader cross-media identity than the N24 service had at its launch.
- 2024
Programming is adjusted
[1]Welt reduced weekend news and expanded sport after losing contracts to provide news for ProSiebenSat.1 properties and after Bild TV closed.
- 2021
Austrian feed discontinued
[1]The Austrian version of the service was discontinued on 1 February.
- 2018
N24 is rebranded Welt
[1]The N24 name was replaced by Welt on 18 January, integrating the television channel with Axel Springer's Die Welt brand.
- 2016
N24 Doku launches
[1]N24 Doku began broadcasting as a documentary-oriented, one-hour-delayed companion channel.
- 2013
Axel Springer acquires N24
[1]N24 was acquired by Axel Springer and combined with Die Welt under the WeltN24 structure.
- 2010
N24 is sold to private investors
[1]ProSiebenSat.1 sold N24 to an investor group led by Stefan Aust while retaining a news-supply agreement.
- 2007
Business programming is strengthened
[1]N24 introduced Börse am Mittag and Börse am Abend, restoring daily dedicated stock-market programmes.
- 2002
KirchMedia bankruptcy reshapes the operating environment
[1]The bankruptcy of ProSiebenSat.1's majority owner contributed to uncertainty and cost reductions affecting N24's programming and business coverage.
- 2001
N24 moves to Berlin
[1]N24 relocated from Unterföhring to Sat.1's headquarters in Berlin, where its news operations were combined with Sat.1's.
- 2000
N24 launches
[1]N24 began broadcasting on 24 January as a ProSieben Media news channel based initially in Unterföhring near Munich.
Products and positioning
A German rolling-news and factual television service positioned around frequent headline updates, business reporting, documentaries, and current affairs, with its identity integrated into Axel Springer's wider Welt news brand.
Free-to-air news television · 2000
Welt television channel
The core Welt service is a German free-to-air television channel with hourly news bulletins, rolling headline coverage, business reporting, documentaries, current-affairs programmes, talk formats, and sport. It inherited the N24 operation and identity before adopting the Welt name in 2018. Its programming has varied over time in response to ownership changes, cost pressures, external news-production contracts, and the changing German television market.
Former television brand · 2000
N24
N24 was the original name of the channel from its launch in January 2000 until the rebranding completed in January 2018. Under this identity, the service developed a combination of general news, financial-market coverage, documentaries, and news production for other ProSiebenSat.1 channels.
Documentary timeshift television · 2016
N24 Doku
N24 Doku is a companion documentary service launched in September 2016. It operated as a one-hour-delayed version of the main channel's afternoon output and replaced some morning news with documentary programming. The service was designed to provide a more factual and documentary-led alternative to the rolling-news schedule.
Financial news
Business and financial-market programming
Welt and its predecessor N24 have carried reporting on stock markets, companies, and international financial developments. Early output was produced in cooperation with Bloomberg Television, while some later reports were sourced from CNBC Europe during a period of reduced internal production. N24 restored dedicated daily programmes such as Börse am Mittag and Börse am Abend in 2007.
Brand decisions
2024
Welt revises its programming mixStrategyBackground
The channel lost contracts to supply news programming for ProSiebenSat.1 properties, while Bild TV also closed.
Action taken
Welt reduced weekend news output and increased sport programming.
Aftermath
The schedule placed relatively greater emphasis on sport and other factual programming alongside the channel's continuing hourly news service.
2018
N24 is renamed WeltGeneration changeBackground
WeltN24 sought to align its television operation with the established Die Welt newspaper and digital brand.
Action taken
The N24 channel adopted the Welt name on 18 January 2018.
Aftermath
The television station continued its news and factual role while operating under a unified Welt identity.
2013
Axel Springer combines N24 with Die WeltM&ABackground
N24 had been separated from ProSiebenSat.1 ownership in 2010 and was subsequently acquired by Axel Springer.
Action taken
Axel Springer integrated N24 with Die Welt's newspaper and digital operations under the WeltN24 structure.
Aftermath
The transaction created a cross-media news organization linking television, print, and online publishing.
Sources1 sources
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