Greens demand reform of the media state treaty for more local diversity!

Greens demand reform of the media state treaty for more local diversity!

Yesterday was a big day for local radio in Schleswig-Holstein: The state party conference of Alliance 90/The Greens passed a unanimous proposal to reform the Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein Media State Treaty (MStV HSH). The Greens aim to reduce the hurdles for local private radio providers and thus revitalize the media landscape in the country. The application calls for a comprehensive opening for local programs and an end to the restrictions that currently limit access to frequencies and broadcasting areas.

Essentially, the aim is to delete Section 30 of the MStV HSH, which only allows local radio programs in certain regions such as Lübeck or Sylt. In the future, initiatives, associations and smaller organizers will have the opportunity to broadcast their programs nationwide. This demand responds to the regulatory inequalities in the state broadcasting system that have been criticized for years. For example, a Danish station is allowed to broadcast in Flensburg, while local Flensburg providers have so far had to remain outside.

A step in the right direction

To support new initiatives, the application stipulates that during the transition period to DAB+, new local providers will be allowed to broadcast programs on both DAB+ and, if technically feasible, on FM for five years. A revision of Section 14 is also planned in order to put non-commercial and commercial providers on an equal footing and thus enable greater diversity in radio.

Another important point of the application is the limitation of media concentration. Dominant companies should not be allowed to have shares in local private radio projects. This is intended to protect media diversity and prevent dominant market players from taking control of local content. The Greens rely on Article 5 of the Basic Law, which guarantees free access to information.

Background and context

The Greens' concerns can be found in the broader context of the State Media Treaty, which has regulated the legal framework for broadcasting and telemedia in Schleswig-Holstein since March 1, 2007. The State Media Treaty, which came into force on November 7, 2020, replaces the old State Broadcasting Treaty of 1991 and is part of a comprehensive set of rules that ensures media diversity and pluralism in Germany. These include regulations on program mandates, youth protection, advertising and more, which are currently being continually updated to take into account the needs of the changing media market schleswig-holstein.de reported.

What is particularly noteworthy is that the 16 German states have agreed on broadcasting and media treaties, which must be ratified by the respective state parliaments die-medienanstalten.de. These contracts are crucial for the further development of the media landscape in Germany and also have a direct influence on local reporting and diversity of information.

How will the CDU react to this initiative? The Greens have commissioned the state parliamentary group to introduce the initiative into the coalition. A forward-looking reform of the State Media Treaty is on the horizon, and the political willingness to give high priority to the issue of media diversity will be crucial to the success of these projects.