Radio Deutschland is the national public radio station in Germany. It is free of advertisements and broadcasts mostly information and news. The station is divided into different stations based in different regions of the country. For example, there are the radio stations Deutschlandfunk in Cologne and Deutschlandradio Kultur in Berlin. There is also a youth-oriented internet-based radio channel called Deutschlandradio Wissen.
You can sign up for the Rundfunkbeitrag even if you do not live in Germany. All you need to do is set up a standing order from your bank account. This way, you won't have to worry about forgetting to pay. After 2022, you will no longer receive payment reminders by post, so direct debit orders are a great way to avoid paying late fees.
Radio is important to German society. According to the 2011 ARD/ZDF Media Commission Study, 80 percent of Germans over 14 listen to the radio on a regular basis. The study also shows that people of German origin listen to the radio on average for 173 minutes per day. This makes the radio the second-most-consumed medium behind television.
While listening to radio on your mobile phone, you can also listen to the radio on your computer or laptop. Most radiosenders have online versions, so you can download them onto your computer. Most radiosenders also provide a digital archive, so you can listen to previous shows and albums.