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A "yes" vote by the State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg on 16 March 2005 signals completion of the process of ratification of the Eighth Agreement Amending the Interstate Broadcasting Agreement (8 RfÄStV) by the German Bundesländer. The amendments affect the Interstate Agreements on Broadcasting; Television and Radio Licence Fees; Funding; the ARD; the ZDF; Deutschlandradio; Media Services; and the Protection of Young Persons in the Media. Completion of the ratification process means they can take effect as planned from 1 April 2005. The new Amending Agreement also transposes Directive 2002/22/EC...

New Zealand and Germany signed a joint film agreement in Wellington on 9 February 2005. A committee including representatives of the film, TV and video industries will be set up to implement the agreement. The purpose of the agreement is to promote economic and cultural co-operation between the two countries. Provided they meet certain conditions, joint productions involving German and New Zealand film-makers will be treated as national productions in both countries. This means that financial support can also be claimed in both countries.

The Bayerische Landeszentrale für neue Medien (Bavarian New Media Office - BLM) has revoked the licence of the regional broadcaster tv.münchen because it failed to submit an acceptable new long-term business structure before the deadline of 20 January 2005. However, the measure will not take effect until 30 June 2005, in order that a temporary solution might be found, allowing the broadcaster to continue using analogue frequencies. tv.münchen's current business structure, with 60% owned by Thomas Kirch and 40% by the Kanal 1 TV company, has been approved. However, a number of vague statements by...

The Landtag (regional parliament) of Rhineland-Palatinate adopted a new Media Act in January 2005. The Act summarises the rules on broadcasting, the press and media services and replaces the previous regional laws on the press and broadcasting. The main purpose of the new Act is to create a common legal framework for electronic and print media. At the same time, individual sectors of the press and broadcasting are newly regulated and brought into line with European law. The Act does not repeat the substantive provisions already contained in inter-state media agreements, but merely makes a general...

In a judgment of 23 December 2004 (case no. 7 O 18484/03), the Landgericht München I (Munich District Court) decided that PC manufacturers and importers should pay copyright tax on their products. According to Art. 54 of the Urhebergesetz (German Copyright Act - UrhG), authors are entitled to equitable remuneration from the manufacturers of devices (eg copiers) or media (eg blank CDs) that can be used to copy their work. In October 2003, the Verwertungsgesellschaft Wort (Wort copyright collection company - VG Wort) took legal proceedings against a computer manufacturer to secure a fee of EUR 30...