Fewer channels, lower fees
FDP wants to massively restructure public broadcasting
04/23/2023, 12:08 p.m
The FDP demands at its party conference that public service broadcasting should concentrate on its “core brand and essence”. Above all, savings should be made by merging stations. There should also be less entertainment.
The Federal Party Congress of the FDP spoke out in favor of a far-reaching reform of public service broadcasting. The decision taken by the delegates in Berlin provides for a merger of broadcasters, a reduction in the number of programs and a freeze on broadcasting fees with the long-term goal of reducing the fee.
The program of the public service broadcaster should “concentrate on its brand and essence” – the educational and informational mandate, according to the resolution. The proportion of entertainment in the programs should be reduced. When it comes to sports reporting, broadcasters should be urged not to enter into a “outbidding competition with the private sector”. This should save costs.
The question of the extent to which the public broadcasters should offer entertainment caused lively debates at the party conference. The youth organization Jungliberale suggested limiting the share of entertainment and sports programs to 20 percent of the broadcasting time. JuLi boss Franziska Brandmann said: “Are music formats with Florian Silbereisen something that only public broadcasters can do? No, private ones can do that too.” However, the July motion did not find a majority at the party congress. “Tatort, Traumschiff and Florian Silbereisen are also part of the program,” said one delegate.
Top salaries should be limited
The core of the party congress resolution is aimed at streamlining the station structures in order to save costs. “Duplicate and multiple structures” of the various broadcasters should be dismantled, administrative tasks should be bundled and merged. The ZDF and the nationwide offer of the ARD should be merged so that a “comprehensive news channel” is created.
Top salaries in the broadcasters should be limited. A “uniform, independent and professional media supervisory authority” should be set up for control tasks, which should take the place of the previous broadcasting councils. In addition, the cost-intensive radio orchestras and choirs should no longer be financed from contributions.