The Israel Democracy Institute

1

• The Israel Democracy Institute
• Jerusalem, January 2, 2006
• From Public Service Broadcasting
• to Public Service Communications
• A German Case Study
• Nanne Priebs
• Visiting Research Fellow
• Squadron Progam in Media, Law and Society
• Cardozo School of Law, NY
• Project Manager at CMCS, CEU, Hungary

2

• The EU Investigation into German PSB Online
  Services
• The actors VPRT, EU Commission, Germany and ARD/
  ZDF
• The core question Transparency and Remit
• The status quo
• The commission does not intend to question the
  justification for PSB in Europe.
• However, the national PSB remit lacks definition.
• PSB finance lacks transparency there is no clear
  division between classic Public Service and
  commercially motivated services.
• If Germany fails to provide a clearer remit and
  transparency, PSB licence fee classifies as an
  illegal state aid.

3

• PSB in Germany
• Facts
• 2 PSBs
• Licence Fee and Advertising
• Terrestrial, Cable, Satellite
• TV and Radio
• Online and Mobile
• NB Constitutionally
• guaranteed
• Excistence
• Development
• Funding

Source http//www.kek-online.de
4

• Challenges
• We are looking for a justification for PSB post
  spectrum scarcity.
• We have to be clear if it is about an expansion
  of PSB or rather its evolution.
• (Re) defining a remit is essential to the
  continued existence of PSB.
• Public Service Communications Remit

5

• Funding a Public Service Communications Remit

• Funding
• Guaranteed funding for fulfillment of PSB remit
• TV, Radio Fees and Ad revenues
• Online Licence Fee only
• KEF independent expert commission to evaluate
  the PSBs financial need
• ( Kommission zur Ermittlung des Finanzbedarfs)
• Issue Essentially the financial need is based
  upon the remit

• Remit
• Art. 5 German Constitution "Everyone shall have
  the right to freely inform oneself by using
  generally accessible sources.
• Art. 11 Interstate Treaty
• Free individual and public formation of opinion
• Overview regional, national, international
  proceedings
• Information, education, consultation and
  entertainment

6

• How do the challenges translate into a new remit?

• Mission
• The justification of PSC is valid in a digital
  world
• Complimentary
• Guidance in a multi-channel and www-world

• Scope
• Evening out plurality which does not equal
  quality
• Provide access but should not close the market

• Accountability
• Econonomic arguments deliver more objective
  outcome
• PSB programming independence
• Transparency ensured

7

• Nanne Priebs
• Research Fellow
• Squadron Program in Law, Media and Society
• Cardozo School of Law
• Yeshiva University, NY, USA
• Project Manager
• Center for Media and Communication Studies
• Central European University, Budapest, Hungary
• Vispriebs_at_ceu.hu