GERMANY PROMISES MORE TRANSPARENCY ON PUBLIC BROADCASTERS.

• Position: Brief Article

Germany responded to the European Commission on May 6 on the question of funding for public radio and television channels, pledging greater transparency whilst reaffirming the prerogatives of the Federal States and the regions in the audiovisual sector. "We have sent a series of concrete proposals to Brussels which leave me optimistic that the enquiry against Germany can be closed", said Kurt Beck, minister-president of the Rheinland-Pfalz region and president of the national radio-television commission. The European Commission requested clarification from Germany in March on the mission and funding of its public broadcasting bodies, notably the ARD and ZDF television channels. The Commission feels on first assessment that the current system is out of line with existing European principles and that funding the presence of public channels on the Internet distorts competition rules.

The principal argument put forward by Germany in its response of May 6 is its exclusive national competence in this area. "We do not wish to and...