After over 50 years: ORF is pulling the plug on 1, 2 or 3”!

After over 50 years: ORF is pulling the plug on 1, 2 or 3”!

Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) will end its participation in the popular children's program “1, 2 or 3” at the end of 2025 after more than 50 years. This decision affects the co-production with ZDF, which will no longer be continued at the beginning of the 2025/26 school year. The episodes that have already been produced will continue to be broadcast in the program until the end of 2025, as Kosmo reports.

“1, 2 or 3”, which started on ORF in 1977 and was later also broadcast on ZDF, is one of the most established children's programs in German-speaking countries. The format has been loved by children for many years and is considered a fixture in children's programming. With ORF's exit, ZDF plans to continue the broadcast on its own, but in the future the candidate teams will consist exclusively of German federal states.

An era is coming to an end

ORF's decision is an important step in the history of children's television. Swiss television's withdrawal from the format in 2006 was the first indication of the challenges faced in the production of children's programs. The program “1, 2 or 3” will now face noticeably changed circumstances on television, not only in production but also in its content.

In connection with the upgrading of children's programs on German television, the development of new knowledge formats for children is worth mentioning. Early on, “The Show with the Mouse” (since 1971) and “Löwenzahn” (since 1981) laid the foundation for a wide range of knowledge-imparting programs, such as [bpb](https://www.bpb.de/themen/medien-journismus/deutsche- Fernsehengeschichte-in-ost-und-west/247554/wissensformate-fuer-kinder/) shows.

Current developments in children's television

The ORF continues to rely on innovative formats. New stories can be found in the children's program. An example is the adventure of Mitcho the cat and Sebastian the elephant, who find a message in a bottle from Mayor JB of the Sunny City. Inside they discover a seed that grows into a giant pear. Professor Glykose transforms this into a houseboat-like vehicle. Together they go in search of a mysterious island where they suspect the mayor is. The characters' voices are embodied by Mik Dankou (Sebastian), Xara Eich (Mitcho) and Hans-Jürgen Dittberner (Professor Glykose), as Kids ORF reports.

In today's television world, knowledge programs have become indispensable. Programs like “Knowledge makes Ah!” or “Checker Tobi” encourage children’s curiosity and impart knowledge in an entertaining way. The expansion of broadcast times by KiKA and the emergence of new formats show that the interest in child-friendly knowledge transfer remains unbroken.

The discontinuation of “1, 2 or 3” not only marks a change in programming, but also raises questions about the future of children's television. Viewers can look forward to seeing how the offering will develop further and which new formats can continue the tradition of educational television.