The picture appeared in the background of a news report on refugee quotas in a special segment dedicated to news from the capital. ARD came in for considerable criticism from viewers, many of whom compared the news programme’s image to those printed on posters and placard by PEGIDA, an anti-Islam organisation that originated in Dresden, but has since gone national.
In response, ARD said that its image of the chancellor was "designed to capture people's attention."
"We welcome the many criticisms of the graphic in yesterday's Bericht aus Berlin and we are sorry some disagreed with our portrayal of the chancellor or even misunderstood," the programme said in a statement published on Facebook.
ARD alleged that its use of the image was intended as satire, an example of "the achievements of our Western society - freedom of expression, press freedom and equality."
Responding to the Facebook post, ARD's viewers accused the station of sensationalism, calling the report "appalling" and "manipulative," along with promoting an anti-Islamic attitude.
"This is not constructive journalism," wrote another.
Others thought the programme was entitled to freedom of expression and had asked "very reasonable questions."
Many viewers compared the image to placards used by the Germany anti-immigrant protest group PEGIDA - a German-language acronym standing for 'Patriotic Europeans against the Islamification of the West'.
The group attracted tens of thousands – of supporters and opponents – to protest marches in cities around Germany earlier this year, with some waving placards showing the German chancellor in an Islamic scarf.
A protestor holds a poster showing German Chancellor Angela Merkel wearing a head scarf in front of the Reichtstags in January [Jens Meyer/AP/Press Association Images]
The Bericht aus Berlin controversy comes during a period of increased scrutiny into the German chancellor’s policy towards immigration into the country, which has claimed it will welcome 800,000 refugees and migrants displace by turmoil in the Syria.
But a report leaked to the German tabloid Bild in recent days claimed that that number would almost double to 1.5m. Since then, the German chancellor, currently on a state visit to India, has come under pressure to clarify Germany’s open-door policy towards migrants and refugees.
