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ARD calls on the Constitutional Court: the future of broadcasting is in the balance!
ARD is filing a constitutional complaint against the lack of broadcasting fee adjustments from 2025 in order to secure financing and journalistic independence.
ARD calls on the Constitutional Court: the future of broadcasting is in the balance!
Stuttgart (ots)
In a dramatic twist, ARD has appealed to the Federal Constitutional Court! The background to the veritable crisis scenario is the dispute over the broadcasting fee: In February 2024, the Commission for Determining the Financial Requirements of Broadcasting Corporations (KEF) recommended an adjustment of the fee by 58 cents per month, which should take effect from January 1, 2025. But the federal states have not yet been able to agree on a state treaty to implement this recommendation. The time pressure is enormous - seven weeks remain to actually introduce a legally regulated increase.
Some federal states are signaling their approval, while others are hesitantly or consistently refusing to adjust contributions. But! A unanimous decision from all countries is required to secure the economics of state-sponsored media. If this agreement is missing, the financing of broadcasters could be in great danger, warned the KEF. ARD chairman Kai Gniffke makes it clear: “This step is difficult for us, but we cannot accept a violation of the procedure.” The ARD sees the constitutional complaint as its last resort and is ready to fight for it!
A step into an uncertain future
Achieving a consensual solution was further complicated by the discourse that emerged from the last Prime Minister's Conference in October, where possible reserves came into play as a possible solution. But be careful! These reserves have already been included in the proposed contribution amount of EUR 18.94; double use is impossible.
The reform state treaty, which was also under discussion, is seen by ARD as a positive step. “We support the necessary changes for a sustainable media landscape,” says Gniffke. But time is of the essence and ARD is determined to stay on course against all odds. The dispute over broadcasting funding could therefore enter a turbulent phase - a hot and complicated topic that affects all of Germany!