FDP wants to reduce broadcasting fees – with unforeseen consequences

ARD, ZDF, local broadcasters and many offers online – that is too much for the FDP. She is now calling for the public broadcasters to be curtailed. What should save costs, however, will have effects with which the party does not advertise itself.

FDP calls for restructuring of ARD, ZDF and Co.

At the federal party conference on the weekend, the FDP members included a reduction in the broadcasting fee in the election program for the federal election in 2021. In the application it says that the Public broadcasting needs a “mandate and structural reform”. But what does that mean in detail and what would change for viewers?

First of all, the amount of the license fee. The FDP writes that the public broadcasters should “concentrate primarily on news, culture, political education and documentation”. The have a dampening effect on the radio license fee. A proposal that should initially be well received by many citizens.

FDP plan: off for Tatort and MaiLab?

But that would mean that broadcasters such as ARD and ZDF would have to reposition themselves in some cases. So feature films are not included in the FDP’s plan. So this would be on a Off for popular content run out, including the crime scene. The structure should also become leaner, entire broadcasters could, it works according to the FDPto be combined into one. An explanation of how the consolidation of channels goes hand in hand with the likewise required strengthening of media and diversity of opinion is not available.

In addition, one wants to restrict online offers: ARD and Co. should “be limited to areas that are comparable to traditional broadcasting or are directly related to it”. That in turn challenges programs popular with younger audiencessuch as the YouTube channels MaiLab, CTRL F and Y collective. They are all produced by public broadcasting, which, according to the FDP, should avoid “unnecessary parallel programs”.

DJV accuses FDP of populism

Criticism comes from the German Association of Journalists (DJV): “A reduction of public broadcasting to a niche offer is unconstitutional“, So its chairman Frank Überall. The DJV sees in the demand of the FDP “one populist contribution to a heated debate“So t-online. As a business-related party, the FDP has always made a program of tax cuts and income-generating demands. Wanting to lower the broadcasting fee fits into the picture well.