Domestic

• 27 March - Heimatmuseum [de] (1988) (ARD)
• 3 October - Oh Gott, Herr Pfarrer (1988–1989) (ARD)
• 31 October - Die Bertinis (1988) (ZDF)
• 18 December - Wilder Westen inclusive [de] (1988) (ARD)

International

• 3 January - // Inspector Gadget (1983–1986) (RTLplus)
• 9 January - Knots Landing (1979–1993) (ZDF)
• 12 March - Dempsey and Makepeace (1985–1986) (Bayern 3)
• 27 March - The Kids of Degrassi Street (1979–1986) (ZDF)
• 20 June - Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears (1985–1991) (Das Erste)

BFBS

• 5 February - Aliens in the Family (1987)
• 25 July - Kellyvision (1988)
• 7 October - Small World (1988)
• 8 October - Defenders of the Earth (1986–1987)
• 15 October - Strange Interlude (1988)
• 18 October - / Jim Henson's Mother Goose Stories (1988)
• 19 October - The Return of Shelley (1988–1992)
• 21 October - A Piece of Cake (1988)
• 21 November - The River (1988)
• 28 December - The Watch House (1988)
• Count Duckula (1988–1993)
• Chatterbox (1988)
• Tube Mice (1988)
• Steel Riders (1987)
• The Snow Spider (1988)

1950s

• Tagesschau (1952–present)

1960s

• heute (1963–present)

1970s

• heute-journal (1978–present)
• Tagesthemen (1978–present)

1980s

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

Launches

Conversions and rebrandings

Closures