After 48 years: ORF pulls the plug on 1, 2 or 3”!

After 48 years: ORF pulls the plug on 1, 2 or 3”!

The well-known children's show “1, 2 or 3” will no longer be shown on the Austrian Radio (ORF) program. After almost 48 years of broadcasting, ORF will withdraw from production of the happiness and knowledge show by the end of 2023. The last episodes already produced will be broadcast by the end of the year. The ORF has been in charge on FS 1 since the show's premiere in December 1977, before the format was also shown on ZDF and Swiss television. With ORF's exit, ZDF will have sole responsibility for the show in the future.

A spokesman for ZDF thanked the ORF for its long-standing collaboration and confirmed that the show would continue under its own direction. The ZDF plans include 26 new episodes, as well as two 60-minute family shows with prominent candidates, which are to be broadcast next year.

New format “The Super Class”

To compensate for the departure, the ORF is working on a new format called “Die Superklasse”. This program will start in September on ORF Kids and ORF 1 and is aimed at students in the fourth grade of primary school. Fanny Stapf and Stefan Gruber will moderate the show in which different school classes from all over Austria compete against each other. Skill, knowledge and creativity are to be tested in several rounds of the game.

The winning class will not only receive the “Super Class” trophy, but will also win a cash prize. Filming for this new format began in April and promises to compensate for an exciting creative break in the long-standing “1, 2 or 3” tradition at ORF.

Historical meaning of “1, 2 or 3”

“1, 2 or 3” has become a classic of children's television since its premiere in 1977. The show, considered the first interactive children's program on German television, has seen many different presenters over the years, including Michael Schanze, until it was finally taken over by Elton. Interactivity was expanded in 2004 with the introduction of a teletext system for audience participation.

The development of children's programs in Germany and Austria is a fascinating chapter in television history. While ZDF began its children's programs in 1967, "1, 2 or 3" quickly became a pioneer and had a lasting influence on the children's television genre. However, the ORF's decision to withdraw marks the end of an important chapter that lasted more than four decades.

The ORF has joined the change by now creating “Die Superklasse”, which will hopefully find the same popularity among young viewers as “1, 2 or 3” has done over the years. But parents and children in Austria can already look forward to the new experiences and challenges that await them in the coming year. The ORF is once again showing that it is ready to adapt to changes in the media landscape.

For further information and background information on this topic, see Vienna, Kleine Zeitung and [BPB].