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The Kommission zur Ermittlung der Konzentration im Medienbereich (Commission on Concentration in the Media - KEK) published its fourth annual report on 22 August 2001. The KEK is an independent body which "shall judge whether plurality of opinion is assured in connection with the nationwide transmission of television programmes" (Article 36.1.1 of the RundfunkstaatsvertragInter-State Agreement on Broadcasting - RfStV). One of the KEK's main tasks is therefore to observe and assess media concentrations using a so-called viewer ratings model (Articles 26 ff. RfStV). Among the most important activities...

Through an Act of 16 August 2001, the Federation transposed into German law Commission Directive 2000/52/EC amending Directive 80/723/EEC on the transparency of financial relations between Member States and public undertakings. The Act's provisions are applicable to undertakings that are granted special or exclusive rights, as described in Article 86 of the EC Treaty, or entrusted with the operation of services of general economic interest and, for that purpose, granted State aid that was not fixed following an open, transparent and non-discriminatory procedure (Article 1.1). If the undertakings...

Public and private broadcasters in Germany have agreed to adopt the Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) standard. This so-called "open" standard should ensure that every form of digitised media service is supported by all broadcasting platforms and terminal equipment. It should therefore be possible to incorporate extra applications such as electronic programme guides (EPG) and conditional access systems (CAS) in the same piece of terminal equipment without having to rely on the proprietary systems of a broadcaster or service provider. The consensus is being linked to the recent sale of a number of...

The Direktorenkonferenz der Landesmedienanstalten (Congress of Land Media Authority Directors - DLM), the body responsible for monitoring private broadcasting in Germany, has repeated its call for a comprehensive digital cable network to be set up in Germany as quickly as possible. In a new policy document, it has laid down some fundamental principles for the transition from analog to a digital cable system. The DLM believes that, for technical and financial reasons, splitting levels 3 and 4 of the network structure is not advisable in view of the need to build digital network structures quickly....

On 30 May 2001, the Bundeskabinett (Federal Cabinet) approved a new Bill on copyright contracts, designed to strengthen the legal position of creators of original works, particularly freelance artists, writers, translators, journalists and photographers. Until now, German copyright law has lacked specific provisions on copyright contracts, even though they were first promised in the explanatory memorandum of the Copyright Act, which was introduced in 1965 and is still in force today. The key purpose of the proposed Act, which will amend the existing Copyright Act, is to establish the inalienable...