 The new "Sender Freies Berlin" began broadcasting two services, SFB1 and SFB2 on 1 June 1954, and joined the ARD in September 1954.SFB began broadcasting the ARD's television service in 1958

SFB's radio and television signals as well as covering West Berlin were receivable in many parts of East Germany; similarly, East German radio and television were receivable throughout West Berlin.On 1 October 1962 SFB and Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) began broadcasting the high-culture and classical music "Drittes Programm" (Third Programme), modeled on the British BBC Third Programme.