# 1996 in German television

This is a list of German television related events from 1996.

## Events

* 1 March - Leon is selected to represent Germany at the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest with his song "Planet of Blue". He is selected to be the forty-first German Eurovision entry during Ein bisschen Glück held at the Friedrich-Ebert-Halle in Hamburg.
* 31 March - The first season of Soundmix Show was won by Bianca Shomburg performing as Celine Dion.

## Debuts
### Free for air
#### Domestic

* 1 January - The Shadow Man [de] (1996) (ZDF)
* 14 January - Der Bulle von Tölz (1996–2009) (Sat.1)
* 12 March - Alarm für Cobra 11 – Die Autobahnpolizei (1996–present) (RTL)
* 20 April - Die Wochenshow (1996–2002) (Sat.1)

#### International

* 14 June - Keeping Up Appearances (1990–1995) (ZDF)
* 17 August - Friends (1994–2004) (Sat. 1)
* 8 September - Barney & Friends (1992–2010) (Super RTL)
* / DragonFlyz (1996–1997) (ProSieben)
* Caroline in the City (1995–1999) (Unknown)

### Cable
#### International

* November - The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991-1996) (Nickelodeon)

### American Forces Network

* The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa (1995-1999)

### BFBS

* 18 January - The Thin Blue Line (1995-1996)
* 21 January - The Beatles Anthology (1995)
* 22 January - Black Hearts in Battersea (1995-1996)
* 31 January - The Demon Headmaster (1996-1998)
* 2 February - Pride and Prejudice (1995)
* 17 April - / The Genie From Down Under (1996-1998)
* 13 June - Dennis the Menace (1996-1998)
* 17 June - Agent Z and the Penguin from Mars (1996)
* 17 June - Madson (1996)
* 23 July - Bimble's Bucket (1996-1998)
* 26 July - The Big Bang (1996-2004)
* 21 October - / Romuald the Reindeer (1996)

## Television shows
### 1950s

* Tagesschau (1952–present)

### 1960s

* heute (1963-present)

### 1970s

* heute-journal (1978-present)
* Tagesthemen (1978-present)

### 1980s

* Wetten, dass..? (1981-2014)
* Lindenstraße (1985–present)

### 1990s

* Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten (1992–present)
* Marienhof (1992–2011)
* Unter uns (1994-present)
* Verbotene Liebe (1995-2015)
* Gottschalks Hausparty (1995-1997)
* Soundmix Show (1995-1997)

## Networks and services
### Launches

| Network | Type | Launch date |
| DSF Action | Cable television | Unknown |
| DSF Golf | Cable television | Unknown |
| DSF Plus | Cable television | Unknown |
| Cine Action | Cable television | Unknown |
| Cine Comedy | Cable television | Unknown |
| Romantic Movies | Cable television | Unknown |
| Star*Kino | Cable television | Unknown |
| Western Movies | Cable television | Unknown |
| Onyx.tv | Cable television | 6 January |
| Dresden Fernsehen | Cable television | 10 June |
| Herz&Co | Cable television | 28 July |
| Junior | Cable television | 28 July |
| Krimi & Co | Cable television | 28 July |
| Discovery Channel | Cable television | 27 August |
| QVC Germany | Cable television | 1 December |

### Conversions and rebrandings

| Old network name | New network name | Type | Conversion Date | Notes | Source |
| | | Cable and satellite | | | |

### Closures

| Network | Type | End date | Notes | Sources |
| [] | Cable and satellite | | | |

## Deaths

| Date | Name | Age | Cinematic Credibility |
| 1 May | Hilde Nocker | 71 | German TV host |