After passing the first level of German bar exams in 1968, he started working as freelance radio producer for ARD, becoming a full-time editor there a short time later.

[2][3] Between 1969 and 1977, Wickert was an editor for Monitor, a political affairs program produced by the WDR network.

[4] In 1981, he founded the discussion group "Journalists for Public Broadcasting"; in that same year he became chief correspondent of the ARD bureau in New York.

[6] From July 1991 to August 2006 he was chief anchor for Tagesthemen, in alternation with Sabine Christiansen (1991–1997), Gabi Bauer (1997–2001) and Anne Will (2001–2006).

[9] Wickert is in his third marriage, to Julia Jäkel, CEO of the publishing house Gruner + Jahr.