About Donau 3 FM

Donau 3 FM

Donau 3 FM is the local radio for the cross-border Danube–Iller economic region — Ulm, Neu-Ulm and the districts of Alb-Donau, Biberach, Neu-Ulm and Günzburg — broadcasting an adult-contemporary programme under the slogan "Einfach gute Musik" (simply good music) since 1 January 2003. Based in Ulm, the station is one of Germany's most unusual broadcasters legally: because its area spans Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, it holds licences from both states' media authorities (LFK and BLM) — a distinction it shares only with its predecessor Radio Donau 1. Around 151,000 people in Ulm and the surrounding area listen daily. The station is a programme of the M.O.R.E. Lokalfunk Baden-Württemberg GmbH & Co. KG, owned 50/50 by Burda Broadcast Media and Studio Gong München.

Overview

Donau 3 FM is a private local broadcaster with headquarters in Ulm, aimed at 29-to-59-year-olds with an AC format: hits of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s plus regional and world news, traffic, weather and local talk. The managing directors are Carlheinz Gern and Stephan Huber; the programme directors are Marco Worms and Andreas Scheiter. More than 30 permanent employees produce the programme. The dual-state licence — LFK Baden-Württemberg and BLM Bavaria — is unique in German radio and reflects the Danube–Iller region's economic integration across the state border.

History

The station went on air on 1 January 2003, succeeding Radio Donau 1 in the Ulm/Neu-Ulm local-radio slot. Like its predecessor, it operates across the Baden-Württemberg–Bavaria border, holding both states' licences. The shareholders from the start were Burda Broadcast Media GmbH & Co. KG (50%) and Studio Gong München GmbH & Co. Studiobetriebs KG (50%) — the latter itself a Burda Media subsidiary. The station established itself as the AC local voice of the Danube–Iller region alongside the area broadcaster Radio 7 and the non-commercial Radio freeFM, the three Ulm-based stations.

Programming

The AC programme plays hits from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s with regional and world news, traffic, weather and local talk for the Danube–Iller region. The 29–59 target group gets a familiar, melodic music mix alongside the regional journalism that defines the station's local identity.

Coverage & Audience

Donau 3 FM broadcasts on FM — Ulm 105.9 MHz (5 kW), Biberach 104.6, Riedlingen 106.2, Günzburg 90.3 — on DAB+ in the Allgäu and southern Baden-Württemberg, in cable networks and as a worldwide livestream. Around 151,000 people in Ulm and the surrounding area listen daily.

Ownership

Donau 3 FM is a programme of the M.O.R.E. Lokalfunk Baden-Württemberg GmbH & Co. KG. The shareholders are Burda Broadcast Media GmbH & Co. KG (50%) and Studio Gong München GmbH & Co. Studiobetriebs KG (50%), linking the station to the Burda media group.

Digital Presence

The station operates donau3fm.de with a livestream alongside apps and social media channels, extending its AC programme and Danube–Iller regional news to listeners beyond the FM footprint. The digital offering serves the cross-border audience with news, weather, traffic and local talk on demand.

The Only Station with Two Licences

Donau 3 FM's most unusual feature is legal: because its broadcast area straddles the Baden-Württemberg/Bavaria state border — the cross-border economic region Danube-Iller (Ulm, Neu-Ulm and the districts Alb-Donau, Biberach, Neu-Ulm and Günzburg) — it holds, like its predecessor Radio Donau 1, licences from both the Baden-Württemberg (LFK) and Bavarian (BLM) media authorities. It is the only radio station in Germany with this dual licensing. The station is a programme of the M.O.R.E. Lokalfunk Baden-Württemberg GmbH & Co. KG; shareholders are Burda Broadcast Media GmbH & Co. KG (50%) and Studio Gong München GmbH & Co. Studiobetriebs KG (50%) — the Burda and Studio Gong groups each holding half. More than 30 permanent staff work at the station, according to its own figures; managing directors Carlheinz Gern and Stephan Huber, programme directors Marco Worms and Andreas Scheiter.

151,000 Daily Listeners

The station, headquartered in Ulm, started operations on 1 January 2003 with an AC-format programme under the slogan "Einfach gute Musik" ("Simply good music"). Around 151,000 people in Ulm and surroundings listen daily to the mix of music, regional and world news, traffic, weather and local information. The target group is 29-to-59-year-olds — the established adult audience of the Danube-Iller region. The programme is received on FM (Ulm, Biberach, Riedlingen, Günzburg), on DAB+ (Allgäu, southern Baden-Württemberg), via cable and worldwide internet.

The Glass Studio on the Münsterplatz

Donau 3 FM is known for its public presence in Ulm: the station regularly sets up a glass studio on the Ulmer Münsterplatz — most famously for the Christmas-market radio, broadcasting live from the square in front of the Ulm Minster with its 161.5-metre church tower, the tallest in the world. The glass studio makes the radio tangible: listeners watch the presenters at work in the middle of the Christmas market. It is the kind of local-marketing idea that fits a station whose entire identity is the Danube-Iller region — "Einfach gute Musik" from the city of the Minster.

History: Local Radio on the Danube Since 2003

DONAU 3 FM has been broadcasting since 2003 as the private local radio for the Donau-Iller region around Ulm, Neu-Ulm and the districts of Alb-Donau, Biberach and Günzburg — the area around the Danube city of Ulm. The station is aimed at 29- to 59-year-olds and employs more than 30 permanent staff, according to its own figures. The slogan "Einfach mehr Abwechslung!" (simply more variety) captures the positioning: professional radio made locally for the Danube region, with TÜV-certified listener satisfaction.

Programme: Good-Mood Morning Show and Schwabenquiz

Donau 3 FM plays an adult-contemporary music format with an emphasis on the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s plus rock and classic-rock titles. Live moderation runs weekdays between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. The heart of the station is the good-mood morning show from 5 to 10 a.m., hosted by Andreas Scheiter and Isi Tausend — Scheiter joined the Ulm local broadcaster in 2018 after more than 14 years presenting the morning show at local rival Radio 7. Daily benchmarks include the "Schwabenquiz", in which listeners guess Swabian terms explained by the fictional character "Oma Rosa", plus regular traffic and weather bulletins. From 10 a.m. Saskia Ochner and Peter Miller take turns — the "at work" slot with regional topics — and since 2019 there has been a daily "News-Talk" with the news editor on the regional news situation. Michael Kordick presents 3–8 p.m. with music for the end of the working day, traffic and the topics of the day. Weekends are moderated alternately by Wiebke Schröder and Ulli Diehr with colleagues from the weekday programme; on Sundays from 12 to 1 p.m. Sabrina Gander presents the talk show "Sabrina trifft…" with wide-ranging interview guests. Additionally, "Das Barbaradio – Die Barba Radio Show" with Barbara Schöneberger is broadcast between 7 and 9 p.m.

Frequencies, Podcasts and Regional Roots

The station is receivable on FM at Ulm 105.9 MHz, Biberach 104.6 MHz, Riedlingen 106.2 MHz and Günzburg 90.3 MHz, plus DAB+, cable and a worldwide livestream with its own app. Alongside the main programme there are web channels such as DONAU 3 FM KULT (oldies and classic rock) and DONAU 3 FM Hits. A podcast library extends the brand with titles including "Donauschwäbische Geschichte", "Ulmer Perspektiven" and "Sport im Drei-Ländereck". The programme is rounded off by genre specials such as "Rock im Park" and "Schlager Hitmix", extensive sports coverage of local teams, and numerous events and concerts in the region — a daily reach of up to 197,000 listeners, and a local broadcaster that has held its position against bigger neighbours for more than two decades.