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It was a consensus that had been tough. And it was clear that it could explode again at any time: in March of this year the Prime Ministers decided to increase the transmission contribution from EUR 17.50 to EUR 18.36 for the next contribution period. The decision was based on a Commission recommendation to determine the Financial Needs of Broadcasting Organizations (KEF).
At the time everything seemed decided, although nothing was certain. Now the debate over the reports is awakening again, amid a confusing mix of old political interests, new scenarios of fear of the crown, and the continuing massive structural problems of ARD and ZDF.
But from the beginning: it was foreseeable that the Prime Minister’s request would not be democratically executed so easily. Because in the last step, the parliaments of the countries would have to agree to the wishes of the heads of the country, and at first it became clear that this process would be accompanied by heated discussions. In recent months, an increasingly broad front has been formed against the transmission of public service, ranging from right-wing populists in AfD, whose ARD and ZDF members insult as “state radio,” to parts of the bourgeois camp.
Now, in the fundamental critique of right-wing and right-wing extremists, there are also new discussions about distribution as a result of the crown crisis: a group of CDU / CSU Bundestag members protested earlier in the week against the planned increase in contributions and demanded that the project be postponed due to the current situation. In a letter to the prime ministers, the authors cautioned: “While the crown pandemic has to save money in private companies and households, the transmission rate should not be increased.”
Save in solidarity?
The stations, continues the protest note, must show solidarity with taxpayers and increase their savings efforts. Signatories include Carsten Linnemann, President of the Economic and SME Union, and Silvia Breher, Vice President of CDU. The letter is more than a good solidarity speech for potential voters, it could well cause problems in enforcing the new transmission rate.
Because it is very possible that the increase in the premium does not occur in all the parliaments of the countries. Saxony-Anhalt is at the center of the tariff reduction. Its Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU) is considered the most powerful critic of the increase, in the course of the debate he vehemently advocated keeping the 17.50 euros. He abstained at the Prime Ministerial Conference in March. The country’s head was fired by his own group, but also by opposition parties in the state parliament.
Whether Saxony-Anhalt calls for the increase is more uncertain than ever. Especially since other East German state parliaments are struggling with the Prime Minister’s decision. In Saxony, the CDU parliamentary group considers the € 18.36 mark to be very critical. In Thuringia, an alliance between CDU and FDP could make it difficult to approve the increase. Union voices also refer to the disproportionate nature of an increase in the radio license fee during the crown crisis.
It is a strange mixture of things that open up: half of the votes against an apparatus that does not seem politically opportune, half of the justified criticism of an apparatus that has slept during the reform for years. Politicians were involved in ARD and ZDF’s Sleeping Beauty dream: Last year the possibility of financing the radio was wasted using a so-called index model, which adjusts for the inflation rate and would have required institutions to take on more responsibility.
Too expensive because it is too old?
As an argument against an increase, the high salary level within public broadcasters is rightly raised over and over again. In fact, a critical point: Before determining future financial needs, KEF commissioned a study that found that ARD and ZDF payments were significantly higher than in comparable areas of public administration or business.
At a press conference late last year, ARD representatives tried to justify high wages by saying that their employees are simply older than those of comparable institutions. ARD too expensive because your employees are too old? In terms of image maintenance, the streaming association still has a lot to learn despite a series of consulting contracts (also very expensive).
However, those in charge have recognized that they can only change the political mood in their favor if their savings efforts are truly recognizable. The NDR announced last week that it would make more cuts in the program. The already announced savings of 240 million euros from 2021, then the next contribution period begins, have increased to 300 million. 200 seats are not expected by 2028. It can be assumed that more ARD stations will follow with more increases in savings plans.
How painful it can be can be seen in the strike list that was provided by the NDR. The news area must remain largely intact, otherwise all sectors will be affected: in the third, the “daily book”, which is well known in the literary scene, will be removed. Outstanding formats such as the media magazine “Zapp” will be largely transferred from the linear program to the Internet. But there are also plans to cut supplies at first, fewer television shows and movies will be delivered. Among other things, the intention is to reduce the number of “crime scenes”: the NDR produces the Falcon, Borowski and Tschiller episodes.
Economical in appearance, costly to manufacture
These announced austerity measures in the fictional area affected free producers at a time since their existence is already in danger by the crown crisis: according to the main organization of the film industry (SPIO), there were more than 400 cancellations or filming deferrals in the amount of an investment volume of around 500 million euros.
It will not be possible to shoot as it was before the crisis for a long time. Therefore, headlight projects like the third season of “Ku’damm” will be included in the coming year. Ninety minutes should be filmed again under difficult conditions starting in June, but with a high degree of risk, as filming can no longer be assured in the conventional way. The official requirements are high, the sets and extras must be reduced. In other words, movies become cheaper in appearance. And more expensive to manufacture.
Here, public service customers are more likely to face additional burdens, which they have to face in an increasingly tense family situation. On the one hand, ARD and ZDF will no longer be able to draw on the reserves they have accumulated in better years. Second, there is likely to be a substantial loss of income due to the crown crisis. Due to financial constraints, many people will be exempt from the radio fee in the coming months, which will cut station budgets. KEF’s calculations earlier this year did not include a crisis.
ARD and ZDF, therefore, act very diplomatically in the direction of politics, so as not to jeopardize the 18.36 euros negotiated but not yet approved. The fact that public service broadcast is reeling across Europe may also contribute to this new modesty: Boris Johnson has just launched a frontal attack on the BBC. The fact that ARD and ZDF have been able to highlight their news skills in the crown crisis and indeed achieve solid ratings with them will not be enough in the next discussion.
It is also about concrete political agreements. Contribution critic and Prince Haseloff openly demand that an ARD community facility be established in their state. The newly planned cultural platform of the broadcasting network may well be located in Saxony-Anhalt. It is also very possible that Haseloff will get your regional association to approve the premium increase.
Does such a cow trade strengthen belief in the transmission of public service in times of social unrest?
