Germany

[DE] Discussion on Funding of Public Service Broadcasters Continues

IRIS 2006-6:1/17

Alexander Scheuer

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

In a letter dated 27 April 2006, the German Federal Government issued its response to the request for further information about the financing and remit of public service broadcasters (doc. E 3/2005) sent by the Competition Directorate-General of the European Commission on 10 February 2006.

The Federal Government agreed the content of the document with the Bundesländer , who are responsible for broadcasting and could access information from ARD, ZDF and DeutschlandRadio . It stressed that, in its reply to the previous request for information sent on 6 May 2005, it had already answered a series of questions which had now been raised once again. It also pointed out that the promised amendments to legal provisions applicable to public service broadcasters would be carried through if this would result in the investigation being abandoned.

The 44-page document deals with issues connected with additional digital channels, "new media services", the separation of the public service remit and purely commercial activities, the monitoring, acquisition and exploitation of sports rights, special tax benefits and the state financing strategy.

It essentially describes the respective procedures for determining the remit and financing of public service broadcasters, and lists the control and sanction mechanisms in place with regard to the practical implementation of the standards required.