With headquarters in the Halberg Broadcasting House in Saarbrücken, SR is a member of the ARD consortium of German public-broadcasting organizations.

In 1935, when the Saar rejoined Germany, Joseph Goebbels's Propagandaministerium established the Reichssender Saarbrücken, under the control of the Reichs-Rundfunk GmbH Berlin.

In 1952, the Saarland introduced a law reorganizing radio broadcasting, and created Saarländischer Rundfunk GmbH, a limited company.

On 30 August 1998, S3 became SR Südwest Fernsehen, planned in co-operation with Südwestrundfunk, the successor to SWF and SDR.

On 1 November 1964, the SR reorganized its radio services, converting SR1 – previously a general network – into the music station SR1 Europawelle Saar.

The station carried programming for immigrant workers and, from 1 March 1999, coverage of debates in the Bundestag and Bundesrat (the two houses of the German parliament).

SR provides programmes to various TV and radio networks, some done in collaboration with other broadcasters, and others completely independently.