Tagesschau breaks with tradition: greeting now modernized!

Tagesschau breaks with tradition: greeting now modernized!

The renowned news program “Tagesschau” in Germany has changed its decades-long tradition and is now foregoing the formal salutation “Ladies and Gentlemen”. This was announced on Friday by Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), and since November 21st the new greeting has opened with the words “Good evening, I welcome you to the Tagesschau”. The last use of the previous salutation was on November 20th by chief spokesman Jens Riewa. The NDR justifies this decision with the results of a viewer survey, which made clear the desire for an “authentic and accessible approach” like the one today.at reported.

Reactions and new communication strategies

The change has already sparked mixed reactions. On Platform X, some users expressed concerns and criticized the decision. A user asked provocatively: "Well, Tagesschau, next attempt to sneak out the 'ladies and gentlemen' in the greeting of the main edition?" In contrast, others found the new greeting to be an “elegant solution” to get around gender. One user noted that the wording sounds unusual for the “old Tagesschau fans”, but it serves its purpose.

The adaptation to a more modern approach is part of a broader trend within the “Tagesschau” to focus more on the spoken word and less on formal written language. The aim is to ensure contemporary communication, said a spokeswoman for NDR. This step follows another innovation from the summer, when the “Tagesschau” introduced a format in simple language aimed at the approximately 17 million adults in Germany who have difficulty with complex texts. This underlines the public law mandate to inform all citizens equally HORIZON highlights.