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In Germany, broadcasting is a matter for the federal states in accordance with the Basic Law - therefore the supervision of private broadcasting is also organized federally; however, in cases of cross-state significance and for central tasks and projects, the state media authorities work together under the umbrella brand "die medienanstalten" in nationwide committees, expert committees, in review and working groups.
Structure
The cooperation is conducted in 4 central commissions:
The ZAK is responsible for licenses and control of nationwide private broadcasters, regulation of platforms, as well as development of digital broadcasting.
The ZAK makes decisions on licence applications by private television and radio broadcasters that want to air their programme in the entire country. This includes licences for completely new broadcasting organisations but also the renewal of existing licences.
Changes in leadership positions as well as changes in ownership and ownership structures of the companies which already have a broadcasting licence are also matters decided on by the ZAK. The Interstate Broadcasting Agreement states the legal requirements for these decisions. The Agreement also determines how to deal with programme violations by broadcasters. Therefore, the ZAK evaluates potential breaches of programme principles or advertising and sponsorship provisions.
The GVK makes the selection decision for allocating platforms and assigning wireless transmission capacities to private providers.
The GVK also advises on matters which are significant to (media) society, media policy, and the cooperation between the state media authorities. This particularly involves questions of programme development and media ethics positions, for example on the quality of broadcasting content with respect to the norms and values of our society.
The KEK monitors compliance with regulations for securing diversity of opinions in nationwide private television.
To ensure national concentration control, the KEK functions as a decision-making body and mediating authority for all state media authorities.
In approval procedures for programme events and changes in ownership structures of television broadcasters, the KEK evaluates whether a company is achieving a dominating influence on public opinion through nationally distributed private programmes attributable to them.
Criteria for the existence of a dominating influence on public opinion are determined through the audience share obtained through the television programmes. If a company has obtained a certain audience share value, the position of the broadcaster and other involved companies on other media markets – the so-called “media-relevant associated markets” – is incorporated into the evaluation.
The KJM is the central point of contact for youth protection in private television and radio as well as the internet.
Its responsibility lies in ensuring that broadcasters follow the youth protection provisions which are anchored in the Youth Media Protection Agreement (Jugendmedienschutz-Staatsvertrag, JMStV).
As a state media authority body, the KJM evaluates whether potential breaches against these provisions exist and determines according consequences for the providers. The KJM generally only steps in after an offering has been broadcast or distributed. The state media authority that licenced the respective broadcaster or is located in the state of the tele-media provider implements the measures decided on by the KJM (complaints, prohibitions, fines).