The Quiz Show: Quiz Games On Television, Radio Or The Internet

The quiz show is a timeless and integral part of German television . No other type of programme can engage the viewers in a comparable way, allowing them to puzzle along, laugh and enjoy themselves from the gentle limelight of their sofa. How much do you know about the mighty quiz show?

First things first: what characterises a quiz show?

A quiz show is an entertaining, exciting programme with a game-like character in which TV contestants have to answer questions. The winner often wins a considerable amount of money (up to one million euros in the case of "Who wants to be a millionaire?"). Non-cash prizes such as trips are also common prizes. Quiz shows are characterised by the appearance of a quizmaster who asks the questions. Quiz programmes are not only on TV, but are also suited to other media such as radio or the Internet. The catalogue of questions often includes questions from a variety of general knowledge areas such as sport, literature and popular culture, while specialist knowledge is rarely questioned.

From the first quiz shows to today - the development

The history of German television is inextricably linked to the history of the quiz show genre . In the fifties and sixties, legendary German show hosts such as Heinz Maegerlein, Hans-Joachim Kulenkampff and Robert Lembke played a major role in the quiz boom during the German economic miracle with their charismatic appearance. While the formats of the time generally had a simple structure (question-and-answer game), increasingly unusual game formats came onto the market by the 1990s at the latest - but many of these formats were soon phased out due to their complexity. For quiz shows, then as now, "keep it simple" is the recipe for success.

The cards are in his hand: the quizmaster

Similar to other types of shows such as cookery shows - where a classic presenter or celebrity chef takes on this role - quiz shows also have a fixed person who controls the action: the quizmaster. He asks the questions, ensures that the rules are followed and monitors the programme.

Various formats add flavour to the genre

Quiz show contestants are usually present in person in the studio , where they put their knowledge to the test in front of the audience. It is also conceivable for them to appear as a telephone joker or as a randomly selected passer-by from the street. This gave the programme "Quiz Taxi", for example, its special flavour. Other deviations from the classic quiz format are games in which families compete against each other ("Family Duel"), or shows in which the participants are spontaneously recruited from the studio audience ("Kopfball").

Who actually writes the questions for quiz shows?

In addition to the candidates and the quizmaster, the quality of the quiz questions in particular determines whether a show stands out. The production company is responsible for selecting the quiz questions, which are written by specialised quiz question writers who work for agencies.

Want to take a look? Here are some examples of popular quiz shows in Germany:

In chronological order from 1958 to the present day, the best and longest-running quiz programmes in Germany include:
-Alles oder nichts, Was bin ich?
-Einer wird gewinnen
-Der große Preis
-Auf Los geht's los
-Wer wird Millionär?
-Das Quiz mit Jörg Pilawa
-Genial daneben
-Das 1% Quiz.

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