Reform of public broadcasters: reducing broadcasters means reducing democracy

Yes, it is time for a reform of public broadcasting (ÖRR). Long time. For example, it is not necessary to send three ARD channels and two information channels to the same event, press conference or performance in order to then report on the same thing on three different channels.

Travel by – for example – ARD and ZDF journalists around the globe, who also report on elections, the World Cup or climate summits, cannot be explained to those who pay fees. And not unreasonable. Just as little as a luxury life and the same salaries for men and women at the ÖRR management level. Or the allocation of positions based on proportional representation instead of journalistic criteria.

Times of fake news and “information portals”

There are many ways to “streamline” the ÖRR, a euphemism for cutting jobs and reducing supply. It is wrong that the Prime Minister’s Conference in Leipzig chose the path in which information, culture and young talent fell by the wayside.

When, if not now, do we need education, facts and science? When, if not in times of fake news, self-made “information portals” and social media propaganda?

When the democracy despisers from Pegida, AfD and Schwurbler scene set out to begin their destructive work years ago, the terms “lying press” and “state radio” were part of the basics of the chanted demo calls. Also popular and at the forefront of the word shift: “compulsory fee”. Just a reminder: the actual name is the broadcasting fee. Because there is always a fee to be paid when a service is provided. It’s actually that simple.

But if the right-wing populists can do something, it is the revaluation of concepts and the shift from language to the use of the unsayable. That wasn’t necessary in this case, as democratic politicians have long understood that voters can be lured by complaining against the ÖRR.

The CDU in the East in particular knows this well – let us remember Reiner Haseloff, Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt, whose state government refused to give its consent in 2021 because of the increase in the broadcasting fee by 86 cents and made it necessary for the ÖRR to go to the Federal Constitutional Court. There they were right.

It’s easy to pick on the public broadcaster across the board instead of offering constructive criticism. And extremely dangerous. Nothing could be more dear to the destroyers of democracy than that Cutting jobs in investigative journalism (MDR) or for long-term research, which is time-consuming and expensive. They also allow real insights that are essential for forming opinions.

As bad as the cut in public broadcasting programs decided on Friday in Leipzig is, the MPK’s vote to increase the broadcasting fee – this time by 58 cents to 18.94 euros per month – is just as bad move.

If they remain undecided during the Christmas month, the Constitutional Court will take over again. How embarrassing! Doing politics means making decisions. It is a question of attitude whether one allows oneself to be driven by populists and the nebulous “acceptance among citizens” or whether one takes responsibility. 18.94 euros per month! A visit to the cinema on Saturday afternoon costs 13.40 euros, the book that just won the German Book Prize costs 22 euros and the theater ticket for a middle tier seat costs 32 euros.