Local TV not keeping pace with nationwide broadcasting in Germany

Nationwide TV broadcasting remains the key medium in Germany and consolidates its supremacy in the advertising market even further. This is one of the main findings of the new edition of the Yearbook of the German Media Authorities, which was published on 24 June.

• According to the report, broadcast-based TV advertising income increased again in 2014. The  pay-TV subscription revenue also continued to drive growth with an increase of 11%.

• By contrast, the crisis continued for local and regional providers. Station closures and the lack of new applicants hightlight the structural difficulties that they face in their local and regional markets. Dr. Jürgen Brautmeier, Chairman of the Conference of Directors' of the Media Authorities (DLM) calls for an improvement of the framework under which local and regional broadcasters operate, as there could no be no real diversity without local providers.

The 2015 Yearbook has been revamped, modernized and streamlined. Developments about Media Literacy and Community Media are now included in a chapter on the key working areas of the Media Authorities. A separate detailed publication on media literacy is to be published later this year.

The Yearbook provides a thorough overview of the commercial broadcasting landscape in Germany. It outlines the challenges of the media future and documents not only the work of the 14 regional media authorities, but also their co-operation in the joint committees and commissions, such as the Commission on Licensing and Supervision (ZAK), the Conference of Directors of the Media Authorities (DLM), the Conference of Chairpersons of the Decision-Taking Councils (GVK), the Commission on Concentration in the Media (KEK) and the Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (KJM).

Source: Website of the Media Authorities