Hard but fair: summer break! When will the next issue come?

Hard but fair: summer break! When will the next issue come?

Am Hart, Deutschland - Today, on June 9, 2025, the stage remains empty at "Hart but fair", because the show is in the well -deserved summer break. Louis Klamroth, who has taken over the moderation since 2023, will entertain his audience again on July 14th with new, exciting political and social issues. Before that, however, we take a look at the development of this popular talk show, which has made large waves with Frank Plasberg as a moderator since it started on January 31, 2001.

A look at the story

The origins of "Hart but fair" go back to 2001 when the broadcast on the WDR began. In the first few years it was an insider tip, but in 2007 the jump made the main program of the ARD. The show not only beats waves, it also hash numerous awards, including the German television award for the best information program in 2003 and the renowned Adolf Grimme Prize in 2005. Nevertheless, the talk show was also criticized for certain episodes, such as Thilo Sarrazin in 2010.

The tough discussion culture is one of the trademarks of "hard but fair", in which five guests - including politicians, experts and journalists - regularly discuss in 75 minutes. Interestingly, spectators can also actively participate, be it via telephone or social networks. An indispensable element of the show is the fact check, which will be published the following Tuesday and checks the discussion content for its truthfulness. While the audience processes the opinions of the guests, the tensions on the show ensure that it will never be boring.

criticism and challenges

A current study entitled "Die Talk Show Society" has now carried out a critical analysis of the guest composition in talk shows such as "Hart but fair". The investigation shows that of the approximately 1,200 programs analyzed, over 42% of guests are composed of party political representatives and only speak 8% from the perspective of employees or consumer organizations. Scientists are also more represented on topics such as corona and climate, but the diversity of the guests and their background remains a challenge.

It is striking that over 70% of the invited politicians are active in terms of federal politics, while only 20% of regional or municipal references have. This lack of diversity raises questions about the representation of social areas - a fact that the creators of "hard but fair" should urgently improve. Although editorial offices of the talk shows argue that they want to cover different perspectives, but reality is often different.

The program celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2021, while it has to deal with the steadily growing influence of social media and the changing communication behavior of the audience. In view of the criticism, it will be exciting whether "hard but fair" will invite a more various group of guests in the future to reflect the diverse facets of our society.

In these turbulent times, "hard but fair" remains an important forum to illuminate political and social issues. If the program goes on the air again on July 14, 2025, it will be interesting to see which topics and guests Klamroth will surprise the audience. Who knows, maybe the show will be heard more votes next time, which will often be neglected in the debate.

Further information on the programs and the program can also be found on Merkur and ndr .