The FDP just about got the curve at their federal party conference. The Young Liberals’ proposal to limit entertainment and sport to 20 percent of public service programs did not find a majority among the delegates. JuLi boss Franziska Brandmann said: “Are music formats with Florian Silbereisen something that only public broadcasters can do? No, private individuals can do that too.”
Crime scene, dream ship, silver iron
Her plea did not receive the necessary response. A delegate had said: “Tatort, Traumschiff and Florian Silbereisen are also part of the program.” Voting for the FDP and switching on Silbereisen at the same time will remain a fundamental liberal virtue in the future.
In essence, however, the FDP has spoken out in favor of a far-reaching reform of public service broadcasting. The decision taken by the delegates in Berlin on Sunday 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 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 broadcasters”. This should save costs.
Tatort, Traumschiff and Florian Silbereisen are also part of the program.
FDP delegate
The party congress resolution aims to streamline 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 national offer of the ARD should be merged so that a “comprehensive news channel” is created. “State broadcasting corporations remain responsible for the regional offer in their respective broadcasting area,” decided the FDP after almost an hour of debate in the plenary session of the party congress.
The party considers 64 radio waves alone in the ARD to be too much. A stronger cooperation of the institutions is required. “Germany-wide framework programs for different program types can be formed, which can be switched separately for regional content,” explained the FDP. 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.
No advertising, no sponsorship
From the party’s point of view, public service broadcasting should “prospectively become largely free of advertising and sponsorship”, whereby permanent contribution stability has priority. The broadcasting fee that every household pays for ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandfunk per month is currently 18.36 euros. Its amount is set by the prime ministers and must be approved by the state parliaments. The framework for this is provided by the Commission for Determining the Financial Needs of Broadcasters (KEF) on the basis of the needs reported by the broadcasters.
The decisions of the FDP party conference need not really worry the ARD broadcasters, ZDF and Deutschlandradio. Broadcasting is a matter for the federal states and with a view to the governing parties in the 16 federal states, the SPD and the Union set the tone. (with AFP/epd)