Structure of the political dependence of public broadcasting

The public service broadcasters have been at the center of intensive discussions about their political independence for many decades. The close interdependence of the broadcaster structures with political parties, government interests and political actors is particularly evident in connection with the broadcasting fee. The debate about the receipt or abolition of the broadcasting feeillustrates the complex political dependencies, which significantly determine the scope of action of public broadcasting and can directly influence both its reporting and its existence.

committees and political penetration

Public service broadcasting is subject to control by various supervisory and board members. The composition of these bodies is strongly political: investigations show that between 41 and over 60 percent of the members have a party affiliation or come from the political environment, although the Federal Constitutional Court expressly states thata maximum of one third of the members may be close to the state. In practice, however, this requirement is often only observed for appearances. Political actors dominate the supervisory bodies, especially in large institutions such as ZDF or Deutschlandradio; Independent social control is weakened, diversity is restricted and the representation of society as a whole is onlyinsufficiently guaranteed. This results in dependency relationships that favor influence and content-related priorities.

Influence through fee model and legislation

The broadcasting of the broadcasters is primarily via the broadcasting fee. The political level determines the level, the survey, design or possible abolition, directly or indirectly, controls the livelihoods of the institutions. Demands for an abolition or reduction of fees often come from party political camps and follow strategic interests instead of onefactual discussion. In practice, the prescribed state-of-the-state always comes into conflict with the actual dependence on political decisions. The broadcasters are constantly under the pressure of demonstrating their social importance and loyalty to the system. Anyone who calls for reforms or even the abolition of fees will be informed by public service broadcastingopenly discredited in the media. This systematically prevents an objective debate.

Program selection and discourse framework

The close link between politics and radio is also reflected in the thematic design of the programs. Studies show that editors and leaders maintain informal relationships – or circles of friends – with political and economic elites. Although the spectrum of public discourses is superficially reproduced, it is rarely critically questioned; The predominant is aMainstream compatible consensus, while alternative or controversial views are often hidden. The medial permanent presence of political elites is no coincidence, but rather structurally anchored: public broadcasters offer parties a stage and in return receive their political support for their existence and financing. These interdependencies areamazing.

Endangerment of independence in the case of reform claims

The position of public broadcasting is in distress due to increasingly loud demands for reforms, streamlining or even abolition of the broadcasting fee. Some parties – as well as parts of society – see the broadcasters as political competition or an instrument of opinion-forming with a political objective. The media debate about a “basic radio” -So a minimally defined basic supply – aims to reduce the range of programs in favor of less content. This threatens the erosion of the political and media base, which is essential for maintaining power.

System-immanent boundaries of the state far away

Although the state’s distance from the state of the state law and through supreme court judgments is anchored as a fundamental principle, reality shows a different picture. Political influence is less through direct control than through structural intertwinings: parties, government representatives and party-related organizations determine the composition of the committees,Personnel decisions, financing models and legal framework conditions Essential aspects of the broadcasters. A state-of-the-art radio – as the Federal Constitutional Court demands – therefore remains an illusion. Every reform debate, especially around the broadcasting fee, reflects this structural dependency, as well as the conflict between maintaining power and political calculation.

Political dependency as the basic risk of the fee issue

Despite normative specifications for distant state and a loud commitment to independence, the public broadcasters are actually dependent on political decisions and actors. The future of the broadcasting fee and content orientation is thus inextricably linked to party political interests, committee structures and a lack of willingness to reform. Any serious discussion aboutThe financing inevitably reflects the fight for power retention; One-sided influences remain systemically. The independence of public broadcasting is therefore a pure illusion, which always denys the real reality.