Verschiedenfarbene Post-its symbolisieren die zahlreichen und vielfältigen Aufgaben der Medienanstalten.

Responsibilities

The core responsibility of the state media authorities is regulation: licencing, programme supervision, and securing diversity in private broadcasting programmes. Another responsibility lies in promoting media diversity and new means of transmission.

The Media Authorities are independent public agencies. They operate autonomously, in accordance with applicable legislation, and are not part of the state administration.

Regulation

The core responsibility of the Media Authorities is regulation. This includes tasks such as

  • Issuing licences for the distribution of broadcasting programmes
  • Allocating frequencies for transmission
  • Monitoring compliance with legal provisions
  • Supervising compliance with provisions on advertising, youth protection, and general programming principles regarding broadcasting and the internet
  • Supervising platform providers
  • Securing diversity of opinion and preventing a dominant influence on public opinion

 

Support

Another task lies in support, including

  • Supporting digital transmission technology
  • Promoting media diversity by supporting local television and radio broadcasters
  • Representing the interests of private broadcasters vis-a-vis public service broadcasters to achieve a balanced coexistence in the dual system
  • Promoting media competence

 

Legal foundations

The Media Authorities work on the basis of the Interstate Broadcasting Agreement, the Youth Media Protection Agreement, and the state media laws. The cooperation is regulated in the Interstate Broadcasting Agreement. The tasks of the four commissions, ZAK, KEK, KJM, and GVK, are also described here.