About BB Radio

BB Radio

BB Radio is the private radio station for Berlin and Brandenburg, broadcasting from the Medienstadt Babelsberg in Potsdam since 31 December 1993. A hot-AC full programme, it plays chart successes from the 2010s to today under the slogan "Mehr Vielfalt! 10er, 20er und die besten aktuellen Hits!" (more variety — 2010s, 2020s and the best current hits). Local reporting from Berlin's and Brandenburg's regions is a programme priority, with the content focus on Brandenburg; for news and local contributions the station splits across at least six frequencies, supported by a dense network of reporters and local editors. The ma 2026 Audio II survey credits BB Radio with 83,000 listeners in an average weekday broadcast hour. The managing directors are Katrin Helmschrott and Katrin Müller; programme director is Hannes Gregor.

Overview

BB Radio is a privately owned full-programme station for the Berlin-Brandenburg region — the only private broadcaster present in both states — with its studios in Potsdam-Babelsberg. The hot-AC format targets contemporary adult listeners with chart hits from the 2010s to today. The strongest programme is the morning show "Der Kaiser und Gerlinde Jänicke – Der neue Morgen für Brandenburg und Berlin", focused on entertaining treatment of current topics; comedy series such as "Die Welt in 30 Sekunden" and half-hourly weather and traffic round out the schedule. Since August 2021, comedian Torsten Sträter has hosted his own show with Jens Herrmann: "Sträter: Musik – Der Soundtrack eines Lebens".

History

BB Radio went on air on 31 December 1993, in the wave of private-radio foundings that followed German reunification, broadcasting from the Medienstadt Babelsberg in Potsdam. The station established itself as Brandenburg's private-radio leader — the Polish Wikipedia edition notes it as the long-standing private-radio leader in the region. On 30 August 2011 BB Radio launched a website offering specific web radios and a local-information site, extending the brand into digital.

Programming

The hot-AC full programme plays chart successes from the 2010s to today. Local reporting is the programme's backbone: for news and local contributions the station splits across at least six frequencies, each serving its region, backed by a dense network of reporters and local editors — with the content focus on Brandenburg. The morning show with "Der Kaiser" and Gerlinde Jänicke is the reach-strongest programme; comedy series, half-hourly weather and traffic complete the service.

Coverage & Audience

BB Radio broadcasts on FM across Berlin and Brandenburg — 107.5 MHz (Berlin/Potsdam, Wannsee-Schäferberg), 104.3 MHz (Prignitz/Ruppin, 100 kW), 107.8 MHz (Oderland), 107.2 MHz (Niederlausitz, 100 kW), 90.9/105.0 MHz (Brandenburg an der Havel), 107.9/95.4/102.1 MHz (northeast) — on DAB+, via cable, satellite and as a worldwide livestream. The transmitter reach covers 6.5 million inhabitants. The ma 2026 Audio II survey credits the station with 83,000 listeners in an average broadcast hour Monday–Friday, 6 a.m.–6 p.m.

Ownership

BB Radio is a privately owned broadcaster based in Potsdam-Babelsberg. The managing directors are Katrin Helmschrott and Katrin Müller; the programme director is Hannes Gregor.

Digital Presence

The station operates bbradio.de with a livestream, specific web radios and a local-information site (launched August 2011), alongside apps and social media channels. The digital offering extends the station's Brandenburg-focused local journalism and hot-AC programme to listeners beyond the FM footprint.

The Länderwelle from Babelsberg

BB Radio has been broadcasting since 31 December 1993 from the Medienstadt Babelsberg in Potsdam — the historic film city that is also Brandenburg's media hub. The operator, the BB RADIO Länderwelle Berlin/Brandenburg GmbH & Co. KG (Wetzlarer Str. 44, Potsdam), is owned in equal parts by Burda Broadcast Media and Studio Gong, the two Munich media houses that also jointly own Donau 3 FM. Managing directors Katrin Helmschrott and Katrin Müller lead the station; programme director Hannes Gregor is responsible for the programme. The licence, supervised by the mabb, currently runs until 31 December 2028. In the ma 2026 Audio II the station reached 83,000 listeners per average hour (Monday–Friday, 6 a.m.–6 p.m.).

Six Frequencies, One Brandenburg Focus

BB Radio is a full programme with a clear content focus on Brandenburg: for news and local contributions the station splits its programme on at least six frequencies, supported by a dense network of reporters and local editors. The strongest show is the morning programme "Der Kaiser und Gerlinde Jänicke – Der neue Morgen für Brandenburg und Berlin", focusing on the entertaining treatment of current topics; comedy series like "Die Welt in 30 Sekunden" and half-hourly weather and traffic complete the service. Since August 2021 cabaret artist Torsten Sträter has hosted his own show with Jens Herrmann: "Sträter: Musik – Der Soundtrack eines Lebens". The Hot AC format plays chart hits from the 2010s to today under the slogan "Mehr Vielfalt! 10er, 20er und die besten aktuellen Hits!"

23 Webradios and the Digital Portfolio

Since October 2014 BB Radio has built one of Germany's largest webradio portfolios: 23 internet radios including 80er, 90er, Party & Dance, Brand NEU, Deutsche Hits, Deutsch Relax, Rock, Weihnachts-HITS, Berlin Club (since July 2016), Fetenhits (since March 2016), Kinder-Hits, Oldies, Schlager, Soft, Sommer, Superstars, Top 50, 2000er and 2010er (since February 2019), Weihnachtsmusik, We Love Music and News & Talk (both since August 2020). The main programme is received on FM across Berlin and Brandenburg (including 107.5 MHz Berlin-Alexanderplatz), on DAB+ (channel 12D) and as a worldwide livestream — the Länderwelle for the capital region, with its heart in Brandenburg.

Berlin-Brandenburg's Private Flagship Since 1993

BB Radio has been on air since 31 December 1993, broadcasting from the Medienstadt Babelsberg in Potsdam. It is a full Hot-AC programme aimed at contemporary adults, under the slogan "Mehr Vielfalt! 10er, 20er und die besten aktuellen Hits!" ("More variety! Hits of the 10s, 20s and the best current hits!") — chart successes from the 2010s to today. Local reporting from the individual regions of Berlin and Brandenburg is a programme priority, with the content focus on Brandenburg: for news and local contributions the station splits onto at least six frequencies, supported by a dense network of reporters and local editors. According to ma 2026 Audio II, BB Radio reaches 83,000 listeners in an average hour Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; back in 2012 it averaged 215,000 listeners and was for years the regional leader among private stations, with 6.5 million people in its transmitter coverage area.

Programme and People

The strongest show is the morning programme "Der Kaiser und Gerlinde Jänicke – Der neue Morgen für Brandenburg und Berlin", focusing on the entertaining treatment of daily topics. Comedy series like "Die Welt in 30 Sekunden" and half-hourly weather and traffic complete the daytime magazine. Since August 2021 the comedian Torsten Sträter has hosted his own show with Jens Herrmann: "Sträter: Musik – Der Soundtrack eines Lebens" ("Sträter: Music – The Soundtrack of a Life"). On 30 August 2011 the station launched a website with genre-specific web radios and a local information site. The managing directors are Katrin Helmschrott and Katrin Müller, the programme director is Hannes Gregor; the owner is IR Holding GmbH, which also operates the children's station Radio Teddy.

Reception

BB Radio's ten FM frequencies cover Berlin and Brandenburg: Berlin and Potsdam 107.5 MHz (Wannsee-Schäferberg, 13 kW); Prignitz and Ruppiner Land 104.3 MHz (Buchholz–Klein Woltersdorf, 100 kW); Oderland 107.8 MHz (Booßen, 30 kW) and 103.7 MHz (Diehlo, 0.63 kW); Niederlausitz 107.2 MHz (Calau, 100 kW); Brandenburg an der Havel 90.9 MHz (Rhinow, 0.8 kW) and 105.0 MHz (Krahne, 3 kW); north-east 107.9 MHz (Oranienburg-Zehlendorf, 5 kW), 95.4 MHz (1.25 kW) and 102.1 MHz (Casekow-Luckow, 10 kW). The programme is also available in cable networks, via DAB+, as a webstream and as podcasts — the most-listened private programme of the capital region, three decades after its 1993 launch.