Press kit: 70 years of DW

Founded 70 years ago on May 3, 1953, DW is an international broadcaster offering digital multimedia content in 32 languages. On this page you will find information and pictures about DW then and now.

70 Jahre DW Logo
Image: DW

Facts and Information 

Telling it as it is: Bold journalism since 1953 

Since DW was founded in the spring of 1953, the history of Germany's foreign broadcaster has been closely linked with historical milestones and important events in Europe and beyond.  

DW milestones (pdf)

Watch the video: DW turns 70

Photo gallery: 70 years of DW in pictures  

Pictures from then and now: DW's work began in 1953, and its mission remained just as important in the decades since: to provide news and information to people worldwide and give them the freedom to make up their minds.  

View the photo gallery

Corporate fact sheet 

DW is the EU's most international media outlet broadcasting in 32 languages. Get the quick facts about who we are and what we do with this downloadable fact sheet. 

DW corporate fact sheet (pdf) 

Global reach  

In 2022, DW reached 291 million weekly user contacts worldwide, despite being censored in several countries. DW's video content accounts for 225 million weekly user contacts with 52 million attributed to audio content. DW's websites attract 14 million user contacts weekly. 

DW usage figures 2022

Our global network (pdf) 

Press photos 

The photo library offers a range of DW copyright images available for editorial use and is regularly updated with recent publicity material and archive content. 

Album: 'DW 70th Anniversary Ceremony' in Berlin 

Album: '70 years of DW'

Latest highlights 

Over the past five years, DW has redoubled its efforts to promote a wide range of censorship circumvention tools, such as using Psiphon and partnering with Proton, to enable users to access content from DW and other platforms that would otherwise be blocked in their home markets. 

DW's strategy of shifting output towards digital, especially in countries where press freedom is restricted, has been critical to the success of its formats in Russia, Turkey and Iran.  

Global Media Forum 

DW Global Media Forum 2023 with the theme "Overcoming divisions" will take place on June 19 and 20 at the World Conference Center in Bonn, Germany. Now in its 16th year, the annual conference brings together global leaders and professionals from media, government, technology and civil society. 

Get press accreditation

Visit https://gmf-event.com/ 

Press contacts 

Carla Hagemann 
Head of Corporate Communications 
DW (Deutsche Welle) 
T +49 (30) 4646 8197 
[email protected] 

Paul Zimmer 
Head of Corporate Communications  
DW (Deutsche Welle) 
M +49 (173) 547 9673 
[email protected]