Criticism of the Reform State Treaty: The path to the future of broadcasting is unclear!

Criticism of the Reform State Treaty: The path to the future of broadcasting is unclear!

There is currently a lot of excitement in the political discussions surrounding the media landscape in Germany. The Reform State Treaty, which is intended to revise the public broadcasting system in the federal states, has met with strong criticism, and not just from one side. The planned tightening of the press similarity is viewed with a critical eye. Similar to what MDR reported, Luise Neuhaus-Wartenberg from the Left described this approach as an infringement on journalistic freedom.

The MPs are paying particular attention to the content of the children's channel “KiKa”, whose programs will only be available in the media library from 2033. This measure is causing dissatisfaction because experts fear a loss of direct access for children. The merging of specialist channels in the cultural sector is also being discussed critically. Claudia Maicher from the Greens emphasizes that efficiency should never come at the expense of quality.

Opinions of politicians

There are different opinions in the political ranks about the new state treaty. Andreas Nowak from the CDU sees this as a compromise and describes it as the first step towards the necessary reform of public broadcasting (ÖRR). At the same time, he calls for more ÖRR locations and main editorial offices in eastern Germany in order to make the media landscape fairer.

Laura Stellbrink from the SPD thinks the reform process is important, even if it is not perfect. In her opinion, resources should be pooled without endangering the broadcasters' independence. On the other hand, Torsten Gahler from the AfD raises concerns about the alleged lack of balance and diversity in the reform state treaty and criticizes the remuneration system in the ÖRR.

Financial aspects and legal questions

The reform has far-reaching consequences, including financial ones. The Commission for Determining Financial Needs (KEF) recommends increasing the contribution from the current 18.36 euros per household. But many federal states have conditioned their approval of the reforms on a wait-and-see approach, which is creating additional topics for discussion. The Broadcasting Commission According to the government, which approved the draft of the Reform State Treaty on October 25, 2024, legal questions and options should be examined by the conference in December.

It seems that not all federal states have the same opinion on the reform. This disagreement could lead to the Federal Constitutional Court ruling on it, probably in 2026. The tension in the political landscape and concerns about the independence of public broadcasting make it clear that there is still much to be discussed.

Amid these debates, it remains to be seen how the reform will actually play out. The fundamental questions associated with the Reform Treaty show us that the future of broadcasting in Germany represents a challenge that will probably take some time. How the balance between digital modernization and proven quality is maintained remains exciting.