(Gemini Audio)
(de-news.net) – Brandenburg has become the last German state to give its approval to the broadcasting reform treaty, thereby clearing the way for its implementation beginning in December. The vote in the Landtag was politically significant: the government of Minister-President Dietmar Woidke (SPD) was not able to secure a majority on its own, as its coalition partner BSW rejected the measure. Ultimately, the reform passed only because of the support of the CDU, whose parliamentary group publicly underlined its priorities of greater efficiency, reduced bureaucracy, and lighter financial burdens for all broadcasting fee payers.
With Brandenburg’s assent, the long-debated reform of ARD, ZDF, and Deutschlandradio will officially take effect on 1 December. In addition to the structural changes, the Landtag also voted in favor of stronger protections for young audiences in the media landscape. Since all other state parliaments had already ratified the treaty earlier in the year, Brandenburg’s decision represented the decisive final step in the legislative process.
The reform introduces far-reaching structural adjustments to Germany’s public broadcasting system. Several niche television channels — ARD Alpha, Tagesschau 24, Phoenix, and ZDF Info — will be merged into two streamlined information and documentary outlets. Radio programming will undergo a notable reduction, moving from 70 stations down to 53. Cultural broadcasters 3Sat and Arte are expected to deepen their cooperation, while the broader programming of ARD, ZDF, and Deutschlandradio will increasingly shift toward digital formats and, thus, online accessibility.
The Länder have made clear that the overarching goal of the reform is to modernize and streamline public broadcasting. By reducing the number of radio and television channels, strengthening collaboration among broadcasters, and eliminating redundant structures, the system is intended to become more agile and cost-effective. Decisions regarding which specific programs will be discontinued remain in the hands of the broadcasters themselves. Nevertheless, they are required to continue fulfilling their core mission: providing comprehensive coverage of information, culture, education, and regional affairs, thereby ensuring that public broadcasting continues to serve the wider public interest.
