DW Live Streaming
Germany funds a newsroom whose audience lives almost entirely outside Germany. That is the short version of DW, and it explains a good deal about how the channel reports.
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DW – Deutsche Welle, or “German Wave” – is the country’s international broadcaster. Its English channel carries news, documentaries and culture around the clock, and it streams free on TV Malaysia.
Who Pays for DW
DW is paid for out of German federal tax revenue rather than by subscriptions or a viewer licence fee. That is why there is never a paywall in front of it, wherever you happen to be watching from.
The arrangement raises an obvious question, and German law answers it directly. The Deutsche Welle Act requires the broadcaster’s output to stay independent of government influence, which is the line between a public service and a state mouthpiece.
Its main base is Bonn, with television production run out of Berlin. The organisation has been on air in one form or another since 1953, when it started life as a shortwave radio service.
Thirty-Three Languages, One Newsroom
DW publishes in 33 languages across television, radio and digital platforms – far more than most international broadcasters attempt.
Part of the reasoning sits in its mandate: supply dependable reporting to audiences who may not have easy access to it otherwise. Several of those language services reach places where independent journalism is thin on the ground.
For most viewers in Malaysia the English service is the relevant one, and it is the flagship of the television operation.
What the English Channel Actually Shows
The English channel is built around DW News, a 24-hour service that launched in 2015.
The rhythm is simple enough: a news update near the top of most hours, with longer programmes spread across the weekday schedule. In between come business and markets, science and technology, European politics, sport and the arts.
Because the channel reports outward from Europe, the running order can look different to what you are used to. Stories that lead elsewhere sometimes sit further down, while European ones that get a passing mention on other networks are covered properly.
Where the Documentaries Come In
For a lot of viewers, DW’s documentaries are the main draw rather than a bonus.
The films run long and range widely – economics, history, the environment, crime, technology and social change, reported across Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. They are a large part of why the broadcaster picked up an audience well outside its original brief.
On a rolling channel they fill the space between news blocks, so it is worth leaving the stream running to see what comes up.
No Subscription Required
The live channel plays on this page. Nothing to install, no account to create, and no charge at any stage.
It runs in a browser on a phone, tablet, laptop or smart TV. Because it is a continuous service, there is no start time to plan around – open the page and whatever is on air starts playing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it cost anything to watch DW here?
Nothing. The channel is funded by German taxpayers rather than subscribers, and the stream on Malaysia-TV.net is free to open.
What does DW stand for?
Deutsche Welle, which translates as “German Wave”. The name goes back to its shortwave radio beginnings.
Is the channel in German?
Not this one. DW runs services in 33 languages, and the channel streaming here is the English one.
Is it a government channel?
It is publicly funded through the German federal budget, but the Deutsche Welle Act requires its journalism to remain independent of government influence.
What sort of programmes are on?
Rolling news bulletins, business and markets, science and technology, European affairs, arts and culture, and a deep run of documentaries. V
Where is DW based?
You can. Smart TVs handle the stream just as phones, tablets and laptops do.
Conclusion
Most of the world news reaching Malaysia arrives with an American or British accent. DW offers a European one, and on any story involving the EU, the euro or the continent’s politics, that shift is worth having.
Open Malaysia-TV.net when you want the view from that side of the map. It costs nothing, and the channel never stops.