Expensive silver iron? ARD reacts vividly to criticism

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The radio contribution has been discussed over and over for years. While the Public Broadcasting Service has been insisting on the increase for a long time, the opposite is usually discussed in public. The subscription model or fee reduction is always at the center of the discussion.

Discussion broke out again recently. In an interview, Franziska Brandmann, federal chairwoman of the Young Liberals party, called for reform of public broadcasting. In particular focus: the entertainment offerings from ARD and ZDF. Now, ARD has expressed itself on this point of criticism and has taken a very clear position.

ARD reacts to the GEZ discussion

In the interview, Brandman explained where she sees public broadcasting assignments in the future. “We have to put an end to forms of entertainment that cost several million each year and are jointly funded by students and apprentices,” she said.Rheinische Post” Clear. In her opinion, “a significant portion of broadcast fees” flows into forms that “do not contribute to opinion formation and political information.” your opinion:

In the case of the public broadcasters themselves, one cannot understand the criticism. When asked by Watson, an ARD spokesperson said:

It is said that both the legislature and the Federal Constitutional Court have confirmed this in the past. The speaker also emphasized that “entertainment is very important to people” and “contributes to the cohesion of society in its diversity.” For the future of entertainment on ARD and ZDF, that means:

At least ARD does not plan to simplify its entertainment program in the future.

Protest from Lower Saxony

So far, ZDF has not wanted to comment on a similar request. However, the debate over broadcast fees is unlikely to end now. It has just become known that the state of Lower Saxony is not ready to increase the license fee. “Against the background of the current reform discussions between the federal states and public broadcasters,” said Jörg Mielke, head of the Lower Saxony State Chancellery in the Hannoverrich Allgemeine Zeitung, “it is not currently possible to call for an increase in contributions.”

again NDR Reports, ARD and ZDF, among others, must report their financial needs to the Committee for the Determination of Broadcasters’ Financial Needs (KEF) by the end of April. A final decision will probably be made next year.