Mainz – November 03, 2026 -- Hearing aids that go silent, fade, whistle or slip out of the ear often have simple causes, and some can be fixed at home, according to Eberhard Schmidt, president of the Bundesinnung der Hörakustiker (biha). Poor fit and disruptive noises are common reasons people stop wearing their devices, even though individually fitted systems enable social participation for people with hearing loss.

Mainz – November 02, 2026 -- ZDF is rewriting its November schedule, starting with the 8:15 p.m. slot on Monday, Nov. 2, which now carries the programming block "Zum Tode von Regina Ziegler" (On the Death of Regina Ziegler).

Mainz – October 29, 2026 -- A new documentary from ARD Wissen, "Meine Träume – Was verraten sie über mich?" (My Dreams – What Do They Reveal About Me?), is streaming now in the ARD Mediathek. It asks whether people are helpless against their nightmares or can learn to shape them.

Mainz – October 29, 2026 -- German public broadcasters ZDF, 3sat and phoenix will cover the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, from November 9 to 20, 2026, with daily news segments, documentaries and streaming premieres.

Turkey hosts the 31st UN climate conference, while Australia chairs the negotiations. The source notes that the Pacific region and its island states are especially threatened by climate change, and that implementation and financing of projects will be debated heavily this year.

Mainz – October 28, 2026 -- Two new episodes of ZDF's "Terra X: Chemie des Kochens" (Chemistry of Cooking) air on Sunday, Nov. 1, and Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. Both are already available in the ZDF streaming portal.

Two new films follow the hit episodes "Feuer" and "Wasser"

The episodes are titled "Erde – wo Geschmack entsteht" (Earth – Where Flavor Begins) and "Luft – die unsichtbare Zutat" (Air – The Invisible Ingredient). Dr. Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim investigates the often overlooked forces that shape the aroma, texture and taste of food.

Mainz – October 27, 2026 -- Visitors to the free SILBERSALZ Science & Media Festival in Halle (Saale) can attend talks, workshops, film screenings and a kids' science show from ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandfunk between October 28 and November 1, 2026. The ninth edition runs under the motto "Ich, verbesserlich?" (roughly, "Me, improvable?") and focuses on health. It is one of the largest free science and media festivals, with more than 45,000 visitors.

Mainz – October 27, 2026 -- The drone of a vacuum cleaner, hair dryer or extractor hood helps some people wind down and fall asleep, while the same noises wear on others. Eberhard Schmidt, president of the Bundesinnung der Hörakustiker (biha), explains the phenomenon known as ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response).

Mainz – September 12, 2026 -- German public broadcaster ZDF has confirmed a series of last-minute schedule swaps affecting its documentary lineup over the coming weeks, replacing several previously announced titles with different films at the same air times.

Mainz – September 11, 2026 -- The ZDF documentary "Die Nummer auf meinem Arm – Albrecht Weinberg und seine Geschichte," which first aired on June 4, 2024, is being released as a 90-minute cinema film titled "Albrecht Weinberg. Es ist immer in meinem Kopf" ("Albrecht Weinberg. It's Always in My Head"). The film opens in German theaters on Thursday, September 10, 2026, and will later air on ZDF following its cinema run.

Mainz – September 11, 2026 -- Constant background noise from white noise machines, audiobooks and headphones may be overwhelming children's hearing, according to Eberhard Schmidt, a certified hearing acoustician and president of Germany's Bundesinnung der Hörakustiker (biha).

Schmidt, who also specializes in pediatric hearing care, says ears are always "on" and cannot simply switch off. The real risk comes from a combination of high volume, close proximity to sound sources, and nonstop exposure -- not from sound itself.