Saxony-Anhalt’s Prime Minister, Reiner Haseloff, has urged for the broadcasting fees for ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandfunk to remain unchanged over the next two years. This is to allow the “Future Commission,” a group of experts set up in January, to present its suggestions for reforms. Haseloff believes that public broadcasters must ensure that their acceptance does not dwindle any further. He also notes that the public broadcasters are privileged, and whilst every household pays the broadcast license fee, there should be a focus on the right priorities. Therefore, Haseloff suggests that the license fee must be used economically. The core tasks of public service are information, education, culture, and providing advice. However, most of the money goes towards entertainment and administration, a trend Haseloff finds problematic. Furthermore, he criticized a “narrow corridor for opinions” among public broadcasters.
As it stands, the broadcast fee in Germany is 18.36 euros per month, with the contribution running until the end of 2024. In the past, Saxony-Anhalt was the only state to resist fee increases. However, in 2021, the Federal Constitutional Court finally increased the fee by 86 cents from 17.50 euros to 18.36 euros. In the ongoing procedure for determining the future broadcasting fees, the broadcasters at the end of April presented their ideas to the KEF, the commission responsible for determining the financial needs of the broadcasters, which subsequently makes a recommendation for the broadcasting fee. The final decision rests with the federal states, and it remains unclear at what price ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandfunk have estimated their needs.
Despite this, reports began to emerge that the WDR, the biggest of German state broadcasting corporations under ARD, had requested an increase of 1.09 euros per month at the KEF. This is a move that leaves Haseloff and other state bosses unimpressed as they saw no room for increases. Meanwhile, reports suggest that the ARD directors had calculated an increase of up to 25.19 euros. In an interview with the FAZ two weeks ago, KEF boss Martin Detzel hinted that a reduction in fee could be possible. According to preliminary estimates by the KEF, the monthly contribution could potentially fall by 50 cents, from 18.36 euros to 17.86 euros. The final recommendation for the broadcast fee will be made known to the public soon, hopefully satisfying all parties.
