France and Norway as role models : at the end of the broadcasting licence fee in Europe?

the funding model for public broadcasting to be the end? France and Norway want to abolish the fees and tax funding to replace it. The French budget Minister Gérald Darmanin suggested on Friday in Paris, the fee for TV and radio devices in the house to abolish. He wants to relieve the burden on the taxpayer. The licence fee in France is 139 euros per year per household. Darmanin said the TV station RMC, he had proposed to President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, the abolition of the licence fee, since it was difficult to communicate. He pointed out that the levy is currently subject to the residential tax for tenants and property owners, the Macrons government wants to swipe up to 2022.

skepticism about state funding

Skeptical about the initiative of culture Minister Franck Riester said. "We need a strong public broadcasting," he said in the channel France Bleu. There must be, therefore, a financing, the "independence from politics". In the past year, the licence fee brought in € 3.2 billion for public broadcasters such as the group France Télévisions, Radio France and Arte.

Norway wants to 2020

to abolish The Norwegian government wants to abolish the licence fee and public service broadcasting (NRK) with taxpayers ' money to Finance The Minister of culture, Trine Skei Grande said on Friday. "News media have a value as a democratic opinion-makers, as a Supervisory body for the Powerful and as an administrator of language, culture and common identity,“ said Grande. It is important that the NRK will remain a strong public broadcasters without advertising.

From the new tax model, especially people living alone benefit. The Norwegians will pay yet every year, more than 300 euros per House was on radio and television fees. The future tax should be around 1700 Norwegian kroner (170 Euro) per Person. For a family with two adults it comes out to about the Same. The tax is graduated according to income, and must, from the age of 18. Age be paid. According to the plans of the government, the broadcasting fee of up to 1. January 2020 abolished.

heated discussions in Germany

In France and Norway, there is hardly any public debate about the licence fee. In Germany, the topic has, however, been for years in the courts. In December, the European court of justice in Luxembourg ruled in a lawsuit by German citizens that the broadcasting contribution fee is right. Similarly, had ruled in July 2018, the Federal constitutional court. The tax is in Germany on a monthly basis 17,50 Euro per apartment. Currently, the Ministers are discussing the President, according to the model, the contribution amount will be fixed. In the conversation is to link it to the inflation rate. (dpa/AFP)