The responsibilities of our organisation encompass various aspects of the media, all of which have one thing in common: their relevance to society. How issues like media convergence, the protection of minors, and European Union directives affect the various sectors of the media is something that’s important to all of us. In this section you can learn which areas of the media we actively help shape.


  

Accessibility

In the debate on inclusion, accessibility plays a crucial role. The topic of accessibility has long established itself as part of the work of die Medienanstalten. Regular monitoring of the offerings, informative data on media usage, and communication…

Community Media

Campus radio, open channels, non-commercial local radio – all these media have one thing in common: they are produced by amateurs – but frequently with great professionalism.

Europe

Harmonisation of media policy on the European level started in October 1989 with the Directive on Transfrontier Television (TwF) which was revised in 1997, forming the legal basis for commercial television in Europe. The European Convention on…

Television

Conventional television is still considered to be the leading medium and is particularly important in shaping public opinion. It is therefore subject to supervision by the state media authorities as is the medium of radio. But just like with radio,…

Digital Intermediaries

Online social networks, instant messaging services, search engines and video portals: these so-called digital intermediaries have become key elements of people's communication and information behaviour. As such, they are receiving increased attention…

Protection of Minors in the Media

The task of protecting minors consists of evaluating media content for any potential harmful effects it might have and regulating how such content becomes available to the public. This helps ensure that children receive minimal exposure to influences…

Media Literacy

Media literacy is the ability to understand media, to use them reasonably and to evaluate the risks involved. What does WhatsApp do with my data? Am I allowed to simply share photos I took of my friends on Facebook? And is my smart TV playing “Big…

Net Neutrality

Using the Internet to stream video and audio involves large amounts of data. This raises the issue of whether Internet service providers (ISPs) must treat all data the same way or whether they may discriminate between various types of content; it’s a…

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Platform Regulation

The purpose of platform regulation is to ensure diversity of the content offered on media platforms. As this is an area of great importance to forming public opinion, platform regulation covers a range of matters – from findability to accessibility.

Programme Supervision

The Media Authorities supervise the broadcasting programmes that they have licensed, as well as audiovisual content available online in compliance with the requirements given by media-related legislation. In particular, they check whether the content…

Radio

Even in times of digitisation and media convergence, radio belongs to the most-used media in Germany. Listeners place high trust in radio, it offers a diverse range of programmes, and it convinces advertising clients with its wide reach.

Safeguarding Media Plurality

A major focus of the media authorities in each state is the promotion of variety in privately owned television and radio, both in terms of the range of content and services offered and in the number of providers themselves.

Monitoring of Advertising

Private television and radio broadcasters are financed primarily by advertising. The same goes for successful content providers on social networks like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. Content providers often collaborate with…

Licensing

In order to broadcast programmes on television or radio, private broadcasters must obtain licensing from the proper legal authorities, regardless of whether the programme is broadcast via antenna, cable, satellite, or the Internet.