The FDP is skeptical about public broadcasting – and always about quota rules. A Europe-Liberal therefore surprises strongly at the party congress.
Berlin/Frankfurt – Tue FDP may in any case be regarded as a lawyer for all private companies. The fact that, according to the party congress resolution, she now wants to significantly reduce public service broadcasting, meets with horror from the Verdi union, among others. The liberals acted out of “fear of a loss of importance”, judged board member Christoph Schmitz. He spoke provocatively of a “former constitutional party”.
After a lengthy debate, the FDP delegates spoke out in favor of reducing the number of radio and television programs on Sunday at the end of their party conference. Several speakers had spoken out against even more far-reaching ideas from the circle of members – such as entertainment completely from the portfolio of ARD, ZDF, Deutschlandradio and Co. In the controversy, however, MEP Moritz Körner also surprised with his contribution: he indirectly demanded a quota for political talks. Potentially in his favor too.
FDP MEP surprises with call for talk show quota: “Only federal politicians sit there”
“It’s unacceptable that we have four or five political talk shows every week on any topic – but even if there’s a European policy topic, it takes place without Europe,” Körner complained. Only federal politicians are always in the rounds. “We need a European talk show!” he shouted. The European elections in particular were the focus of Körner’s application.
There was also a direct headwind at the party congress. “It can’t be that a party conference decides what kind of concrete talk show offer is to be made!” wondered Erik Schweickert, member of the Baden-Württemberg state parliament. He had previously warned not to “govern into the radio” – the Greens and Leftists were already doing that all the time.
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“If what is happening in Europe is happening outside of the public eye, then we have a problem in a democracy,” Körner replied, offering an altered version with the “desire” for “offers on European issues.” In the “freedom of broadcasting” the broadcasters could then decide for themselves what to show. In this form, the proposal was then included in the party congress resolution. The party congress also overturned the linking of the demand with the occasion of the European elections after objections from Schweickert.
After some wrangling, the liberals also wanted more public law action on another point: for offers in Turkish and Russian. By the evening of at the latest Türkiye election FDP celebrity Konstantin Kuhle warned that “from the Turkish presidential office” would be “agitated”. At the same time, some “milieus” get their information about Russia exclusively from “Kremlin propaganda”. Freedom of expression must also be defended in Turkish and Russian. It’s about the liberal value system.
FDP no longer wants to pay for “Fernsehgarten” – Verdi warns of liberal plans
The bottom line was the demand for a far-reaching reform of public service broadcasting. The FDP wants a merger of broadcasters, a reduction in the number of programs and a freeze on broadcasting fees with the long-term goal of reducing the fee. The share of entertainment in the programs is to be reduced. “I’m not willing to continue to pay a contribution for the broadcast of the ZDF television garden,” complained Gero Hocker, a member of the Bundestag – and demanded more quality.
Verdi harshly criticized it a day later. The party congress resolution Board member Schmitz warned that this fundamentally violates the applicable legal framework set up by the Federal Constitutional Court for the establishment and further development of publicly financed broadcasting. “Instead of feeling obliged to ensure strong competition in the dual media system, the FDP wants to unilaterally cut large parts of the range of offers in public service broadcasting and builds unilaterally on the national private media groups, which are known to increasingly focus on returns instead of diversity.” (fn with material from AFP)
The FDP calls for reforms in the public sector – that’s in the party congress decision
Entertainment offers are to be “cut back”, and there should be no “outbidding competition with private broadcasters” at “mass sporting events”.
The “parallel offer” of ZDF and the national offer of ARD are to be “merged”. The 64 radio waves should also be canceled, for example by means of “Germany-wide framework programs”.
On the other hand, the FDP sees “additional offers in Russian and Turkish” and – in a weaker form – the “offers on European” topics demanded by Körner as positive.
The broadcasting fee is to be reduced “quickly and noticeably”, trainees, students and other groups are to be exempted.
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