At the beginning of the new century, with the ever greater interconnectedness of people through communication technology and the shift from material resources to information as indicator of the wealth of a nation, the common cultural policy debate about the control and financing of broadcasting continues on a broad level. Fuelled by the mediated attacks on the United States on September 11th the debate about whether there should be public service broadcasting and a licence fee or whether broadcasting would be better served by the market alone, fills pages in newspapers again (e.g. the three-days special in the G2 section of The Guardian about the state of British television, 19., 20. and 21.11.2001). Common accusations public television faces are that it allows itself to become increasingly commercialised and that it converges with the choice of programmes of private companies, thus violating its own programme commitments. In the following the German media landscape will be looked at to find out how broadcasting is being served in this European country and if the system ′in some respects really has model features′.
Table of Contents
1. Cultural Production and Policy
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this work is to evaluate the future of broadcasting in Germany, specifically examining whether the public interest is better served by state-regulated public service broadcasting or by the forces of a free-market commercial system.
- Historical context of the German broadcasting system post-World War II.
- The structural differences and mandates of public service versus commercial broadcasting.
- The impact of media concentration and market duopolies on cultural diversity.
- The role of the state in protecting pluralism and independent opinion formation.
Excerpt from the Book
Cultural Production and Policy
At the beginning of the new century, with the ever greater interconnectedness of people through communication technology and the shift from material resources to information as indicator of the wealth of a nation, the common cultural policy debate about the control and financing of broadcasting continues on a broad level. Fuelled by the mediated attacks on the United States the debate about whether there should be public service broadcasting and a licence fee or whether broadcasting would be better served by the market alone, fills pages in newspapers again (e.g. the three-days special in the G2 section of The Guardian about the state of British television, 19., 20. and 21.11.2001). Common accusations public television faces are that it allows itself to become increasingly commercialised and that it converges with the choice of programmes of private companies, thus violating its own programme commitments (Schatz et al., 1989, Kröger, 1991). In the following the German media landscape will be looked at to find out how broadcasting is being served in this European country and if the system ‘in some respects really has model features’ (Humphreys, 1994: 315).
Summary of Chapters
1. Cultural Production and Policy: This chapter introduces the ongoing global debate regarding the regulation of broadcasting, setting the stage for an analysis of the German media landscape within its specific historical and political context.
Keywords
Broadcasting, Public Service Broadcasting, Cultural Policy, Commercialisation, Media Concentration, Germany, Pluralism, Teleocracies, Digital Television, Market Regulation, Information Society, Cultural Diversity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on the critical evaluation of the broadcasting system in Germany, exploring the tension between public service mandates and commercial interests.
What are the central thematic fields covered in the text?
The text addresses cultural policy, the history of German media, market competition, media concentration, and the preservation of political and cultural diversity in the broadcasting sector.
What is the primary research question addressed by the author?
The author investigates whether the future of broadcasting in Germany is better secured by state-supported public service models or by market-driven commercial entities.
Which scientific method is utilized in this study?
The study employs a qualitative analysis of historical developments, legal frameworks, and contemporary media research to assess the efficacy and independence of the German broadcasting system.
What specific aspects are explored in the main body?
The main body examines the structure of German public and private broadcasters, the role of broadcasting councils, the influence of political and societal interests, and the risks posed by large media conglomerates.
Which keywords define the core scope of the research?
Key terms include broadcasting, public service, cultural policy, media concentration, pluralism, and market regulation.
How does the author characterize the influence of the KirchGruppe and Bertelsmann AG?
The author identifies these companies as a "cosy duopoly" that controls a vast majority of commercial TV stations, which potentially limits diversity and independent production.
What does the paper suggest regarding the role of "licence-fee" funded broadcasting?
The author argues that funding via licence fees is essential to prevent television from degrading into "infomercials" and to ensure that broadcasting remains central to a functioning democratic political process.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Florian Mayer (Autor:in), 2001, Based on historical evidence and contemporary events consider whether the future of broadcasting in Germany will better be served by the State or by the market, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/9035
