Status: 10/21/2022 3:21 p.m
In June, the country leaders agreed on a reform of the mandate and structure of the public service broadcasters. Now they have signed the new media state treaty. The state parliaments still have to agree.
The prime ministers of the federal states have agreed on the new media state treaty. In Germany, the federal states are responsible for media policy. They set the framework for public service broadcasting.
In 2016, the federal states had set up a working group on the topic of “Broadcasters’ mandate and structure optimization” and asked the broadcasters to work out reforms.
The Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer, wants to sign the contract later in the coming week, she had to leave the Prime Ministers’ Conference in Hanover earlier. Rhineland-Palatinate chairs the Broadcasting Commission.
More programs on the Internet, new committee tasks
In particular, the definition of the remit of public service broadcasters will be changed. The online order will be further developed and broadcasters will be given the opportunity to select individual channels such as tagesschau24 or to relocate ZDF info to the Internet.
The supervisory bodies are to be given additional tasks. Among other things, they should monitor “economical and economical budgetary and economic management” and set “content and formal quality standards” and “standardized processes for their verification”.
Less linear TV channels mandated
In the future, fewer linear television channels will be commissioned in the State Media Treaty. Are only mandatory That Firstthe ZDF, the third programs of the ARD as well as the culture channels 3sat and Arte. In the case of the other TV offerings, the broadcasters can decide, in consultation with the committees, whether to continue them as independent channels or to move them to the Internet. The oversight bodies must approve the shutdown of programs, their transition from linear to the Internet, or their replacement.
Questions of financing are not the subject of the new media state treaty. They are to be dealt with in a second reform step. The state parliaments still have to approve the agreement afterwards. It is scheduled to come into force on July 1, 2023.