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Reception problems

Here you find information, if you expierience problems receiving our program, with the program preview or SmartTV App.

Screen displaying binary code.
Image: CH. HORZ/Zoonar/picture alliance

What can I do if I have problems receiving Deutsche Welle broadcasts from my TV provider?

In the first instance, please contact your provider directly about the issue. Often the issue is based on a local technical problem of the provider and cannot be solved by Deutsche Welle.

Afterwards, please inform us as well if you are experiencing reception issues. We will need the following information:
Which cable provider do you have?
In which city and country are you receiving the channel and when did the problem begin?
What did your provider’s customer support tell you about the problem?
Which language version of the programming do you receive?

The program schedule on my TV is wrong, whom should I contact?

Depending on how you receive Deutsche Welle 's program, please note the following information: 

Short term changes cannot be regarded. For longer lasting problems, please note:

  1. When receiving Deutsche Welle's program via a local partner station, e.g. a cable provider or satellite provider, please get in touch with your provider’s customer service first of all. 
    In this case the provider or its affiliated service partners are responsible for the correct display of the program schedule. 
    DW cannot change the displayed schedule.
    If you like, you can inform us about the response of your provider via the email address mentioned below.
  2. When receiving DW's program directly via satellite (direct to your home), please send in specific examples. We need the air date, air time, name of the show that was displayed in the schedule, name of the show that was on air instead, the name of the satellite you are tuned in to and the program language. Please send your message to the email address mentioned below. 

I am having difficulties with the DW SmartTV app. What can I do?

For suggestions or criticism regarding the SmartTV app, you can write an email to [email protected]. To help our technicians trouble shooting, please supply the following information:

1. Which device are you using?

2. Which operating system and which version of it is installed?

3. Which version of the Deutsche Welle app are you using?

4. Which language setting do you use and in which country are you?

5. Are you referring to the video on demand offer or the livestream (which language version)?

6. Please briefly describe when the error occurs and send in a screenshot of the error message or how the app is displayed.

Why is the TV livestream blocked for certain programs? 

These interruptions are due to copyright restrictions.
Some content needs to be blocked on the internet livestream due to licensing reasons.
For example, Deutsche Welle cannot show content of the German Bundesliga via internet livestream.

The image is not being displayed properly. Why is that and what can I do?

If the image is compressed, stretched, or cropped around the edges, the problem is usually that the screen format and broadcast format do not match.
If you receive your television programming via a partner station and you experience a distorted picture, the television provider needs to check the signal transmission. Please contact your television provider and check the picture setting on your set-top box.

If you have further questions, please contact us:
[email protected]