The future of the broadcasting contribution : index model - Yes or no?

For the friends and enemies of the broadcasting contribution is of the 6. June is a crucial date. Then the Prime Minister will want to decide on the future funding model for ARD, ZDF and Germany radio. The broadcasting Commission of the Länder to submit up to this date, a proposal, according to which model the contribution amount in the future is determined. The country leaders decided on Thursday in Berlin. In the discussion of several variants. The focus of the Considerations is an index model, the Rhineland-Palatinate Minister President Malu Dreyer (SPD), who is also Chairman of the broadcasting Commission of the Länder said. The contribution the development would be coupled to the price development.

Currently, the licence fee is 17,50 Euro per household in the month, the contribution amount is set every four years. The new model will be exercised at the earliest from the year 2023 to be implemented. Dreyer said that the future contribution must be accepted by the citizens. At the same time, broadcasters would have to make greater savings efforts.

The current contribution amount will apply only until the end of 2020. The public broadcasters have to sign up until the end of April your financial requirements for subsequent years. The Commission for determining the financial needs of broadcasters (KEF) at the beginning of 2020, a proposal for the contribution amount. Then the country leaders to decide. Before you will look carefully exactly what the institutions are adequate for your future financial facilities. "From a country perspective, it is important that these applications, moderate demand applications, because they form the basis for the future financing model," said Dreyer. You warned ARD and ZDF to more austerity. The austerity proposals of the institutions from September 2017 for the Prime Minister is not sufficient. There is still room at about cost of production and the administration.

savings requested

Saxony-Anhalt's Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU), also called for further savings. "The public broadcasters submitted savings proposals do not yet meet the expectations," he said. Also, to clarify before deciding on a new model, numerous questions were - "both in principle and in Detail". Important from his point of view, a strong involvement of the country in days. Also KEF in-chief Heinz-Fischer, Heidelberg holds the Index model problematic. In the case of a indexation of the contribution in any relationship to the actual financial standing needs of the institutions.

The ARD Chairman Ulrich Wilhelm said the German press Agency on Thursday to request: "An Index model, we consider this a generally viable way, as long as the principles of a needs-based funding, as well as the legal framework to be respected." It'll come to the specific embodiment. The ARD was prepared to accompany the countries in a constructive manner. "At the same time we stand for as a ARD behind our Commitments to ongoing austerity measures and reforms," said Wilhelm. "Since 2009, the available contribution of the price rise of the ARD below the consumer Index and is well below the media-specific inflation moves."

increase in the broadcasting contribution to 17.98 euros? "In our state, that would be a sound barrier"

(dpa)