Germany

[DE] New Regulations Governing the Right to Apply for Review in the Voluntary Television Review Body e.V.(FSF)

IRIS 1995-5:1/12

Andrea Schneider

Institute of European Media Law (EMR), Saarbrücken/Brussels

IRIS 1995-3:7 contained reports about an initiative by the Voluntary Television Review Body (FSF) to promote the protection of minors in German television.

The new regulations governing the right to apply for review have been brought in following changes made in the statutes of the Review Body ( see article 2 paragraph 6a section 3 of the statutes of the Voluntary Review Body).

Until now, only broadcasters, the media authorities of the Länder and the Board of trustees of the Review Body were authorised to make these applications. Now, those selling programme licences can also make an application when they have sold their licence to a broadcaster who is a member of the Review Body but they cannot appeal. It is the broadcaster itself who will need to decide on whether or not to appeal. The company selling the licence is also obliged to disclose the name of the broadcaster to which it has sold a licence. In this way, it is hoped to prevent individual broadcasters acquiring undue competitive advantages.