Ostdeutscher Rundfunk Brandenburg / ORB (East German Broadcasting Corporation) is a member of ARD (Association of Public Service Broadcasting Corporations in Germany), the largest radio and TV network in Europe. Founded in 1992, ORB is one of ARD’s youngest broadcasters and provides radio, television, online and videotext services in the German State of Brandenburg. Via the ARD network it also contributes to nation-wide programming. ORB runs one regional television and radio station and five additional radio stations in cooperation with other ARD affiliates (Antenne Brandenburg, FRITZ; radio EINS, RADIO3, infoRADIO, RADIOkultur).

ORB employs 670 people and had a turnover of €188.87 million in 2001. ORB pioneered digital audio/radio technology with the launch of infoRADIO, the first fully digital radio station in 1995. Since 1997, ORB has been contracted by the ARD to host and manage the ARD Play Out Centre on its premises. Producing three new digital television channels and additional interactive TV service and playing out 18 digital TV channels and 22 radio channels, ARD Digital provides an excellent laboratory for innovative know - how transfer, expertise exchange as well as for testing new technologies.

ORB has been involved in EC-co-funded research projects since 1998 and acted as Consortium Leader of the Telematic Engineering project MIRAGE (finished 2000), the ESPRIT project TRIMEDIA (finished 2001), and the IST project BROADMAP (finished 2001). It is currently participating in the IST projects SAVANT and CONFLUENT.

In 2003, the ORB will merge with Berlin’s ARD broadcaster Sender Freies Berlin/SFB and become one of the largest broadcasters within the ARD network, covering both Brandenburg and the capital Berlin.