iSTUFF

iSTUFF (Ilmenauer Studenten Fernseh Funk) is a student-run television broadcasting brand based in Ilmenau, Thuringia, Germany. It was founded at the end of 1996 as a practical training platform for media technology students at the Technische Universität Ilmenau. Since September 2006 it has operated as a department (Ressort) of the Forschungsgemeinschaft elektronische Medien e.V. (FeM e.V.), the largest student association in Ilmenau with roughly 2,000 members. iSTUFF produces a regular live program and a broadcast loop featuring selections from over 25 years of its archive. Its programming is distributed via campus channels, online streams, and experimental DVB-T broadcasts. The team is composed of students who gain hands-on experience in film and television production, including editorial work, camera operation, technical broadcasting, graphics, and marketing. Notable recurring projects include ISWIsion, the daily television coverage of the International Student Week in Ilmenau (ISWI), and Ilmpressions, a film production project launched in 2017. iSTUFF also provides video wall coverage for the Open Flair music festival in Eschwege. The brand is non-commercial in nature, serving as a training ground and community for media students rather than a profit-driven broadcaster.

iSTUFF was founded at the end of 1996 as the Ilmenauer Studenten Fernseh Funk, a practical training initiative for media technology students at the Technische Universität Ilmenau. Its initial purpose was to provide a hands-on base for students in the media technology program, but it quickly attracted interest from media students across the university. On 15 April 1997, the Forschungsgemeinschaft elektronische Medien e.V. (FeM e.V.) began operating as the legal entity behind iSTUFF. The first board consisted of Mario Holbe as chairman, Peter Steiert as deputy chairman, and Steffen Jensch as treasurer. In addition to regular broadcast formats, iSTUFF has produced the special program ISWIsion for more than a decade, covering the International Student Week in Ilmenau (ISWI). In 2003, ISWI was supported for the first time by close cooperation between the FeM streaming team and iSTUFF. After lengthy negotiations and a search for a legal form, iSTUFF became a department (Ressort) of FeM e.V. in September 2006. Since then, many media projects have been realized in close cooperation with TU Ilmenau. On 26 October 2010, FeM e.V. launched experimental television via DVB-T after a long preparation period. Experience with DVB-T and related broadcasting technology had already been gained at events such as ISWIsion 2007 and ISWIsion 2009. Numerous ideas from the field of 'slightly different television' and interest in broadcasting and technology encouraged the association to build a DVB-T transmitter as a platform for experimental television. In the summer semester of 2017, the Ilmpressions film project was launched under FeM, involving around 150 students annually in the conception and production of a 60-minute film. iSTUFF has continued to produce live and recorded programming, including coverage of the Open Flair music festival in Eschwege for three consecutive years as of 2026, and celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2026.

• iSTUFF founded as Ilmenauer Studenten Fernseh Funk at TU Ilmenau.

• Forschungsgemeinschaft elektronische Medien e.V. begins operating as the legal entity.

• ISWI supported for the first time by cooperation between FeM streaming team and iSTUFF.

• iSTUFF becomes a department (Ressort) of FeM e.V.

• FeM e.V. launches experimental television via DVB-T.

• Ilmpressions film project launched under FeM.

• iSTUFF celebrates 30th anniversary and covers Open Flair for third consecutive year.

Student-run television broadcasting brand offering practical media production experience and experimental broadcasting at TU Ilmenau.

• ISWIsion

  Daily television show covering the International Student Week in Ilmenau (ISWI), produced by about 20-30 students.

• Ilmpressions

  Annual film project since 2017 involving around 150 students in producing a 60-minute film.

• Live campus broadcasts

  Regular live programming from the campus and a broadcast loop of archive content.

• Open Flair video wall coverage

  Live video wall feed for the Seebühne at the Open Flair music festival in Eschwege.

1. 1iSTUFF official websiteistuff.de
2. 2Geschichte – iSTUFFistuff.de
3. 3Über uns – iSTUFFistuff.de
4. 4Projekte – iSTUFFistuff.de
5. 5iSTUFF on Wikidatawikidata.org