Germany

[DE] End to Dispute Over Transmission of "Saving Private Ryan"

IRIS 2003-6:1/14

Carmen Palzer

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

The legal dispute over whether the broadcast of the film "Saving Private Ryan" was admissible (see IRIS 2003-4: 6 and IRIS 2002-8: 6) has been resolved. ProSieben Sat.1 Media AG (ProSieben) and the Medienanstalt BerlinBrandenburg (Berlin-Brandenburg Media Authority MABB) had taken their dispute over the admissibility under the youth protection law of the broadcast of an edited version of the film at 20.15 to a number of different courts. On 5 January 2003, ProSieben had then broadcast the film at 20.15 without the necessary permission, whereupon the MABB launched proceedings to fine the broadcaster. Those proceedings have now been concluded in agreement with ProSieben. The MABB's Media Council has issued a formal complaint concerning the broadcast; ProSieben will accept the complaint and undertake only to show the film again if it has indisputable permission to do so. In addition, a settlement has been agreed between the Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle Fernsehen (Voluntary Self-Regulatory Authority for Television - FSF), the Kommission für Jugendmedienschutz (Commission for Youth Protection in the Media - KJM) and ProSieben, with the MABB also involved. ProSieben has also promised to demonstrate its responsible attitude for youth protection by various means.