Germany in focus: A guiding principle for media diversity and public service innovation in Europe

While Austria's media landscape, despite linguistic similarities, often remains in the shadow of its larger neighbor, Germany presents itself as a laboratory for forward-looking journalism and a robust media infrastructure. This article delves deep into Germany's "best practices" and illuminates what makes the German-speaking world a pioneer in Europe – from children's entertainment to the financing of public broadcasting institutions.

Public service broadcasting: The fourth pillar of democracy under digital pressure

In Germany, public broadcasting is considered an indispensable fourth pillar of democracy. With annual revenues of around €8 billion, financed by a household levy, it serves as a bulwark against market concentration and information monopolies. This levy, the amount of which is determined by an independent commission (KEF) and the state premiers, ensures independence and enables a wide range of programming. This is a crucial difference from the Austrian system, where the fee is set by the politically dominated ORF Foundation Board and is further supplemented by state-specific surcharges. ZDF, for example, is financed by advertising to the tune of only 4%, and its online services are entirely ad-free – a stark contrast to ORF, whose advertising still accounts for 20% of its funding.

Pioneering spirit in the digital realm: Funk.net as a beacon for young target groups

A prime example of the innovative power of Germany's public broadcasters is funk.net. This online service from ARD and ZDF, designed specifically for teenagers and young adults, is directly accessible on smartphones and laptops and produces exclusively online-only content. Philipp Schild, Program Director of funk.net, describes the platform as "incredibly bold" and as "the future of public broadcasting in the digital space." Funk was launched in 2016 to reach an audience increasingly turning away from linear television. Its recipe for success lies in an open, flat-hierarchy approach that also integrates external creatives and personalizes and presents content in an exemplary manner. Despite using commercial platforms like YouTube and TikTok, the content remains ad-free and values-based. The team strategically guides users from entertainment to informational content and promotes media literacy. This strategy has resulted in a wide reach and a strong relationship of trust among young target groups, who, according to Schild, possess a surprisingly high level of media literacy and a strong interest in trustworthy information.

In contrast, the ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) is legally prohibited from creating purely online content ("online only") and is subject to a strict "seven-day catch-up" regulation for its online content. This significantly restricts its digital development, although the ORF has achieved great success in the few permitted digital areas (e.g., ZiB 100 on Instagram, Zeit im Bild on TikTok).

Children's media: A commitment to quality and reliability

Another area where Germany excels is children's and youth programming. Unlike the ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation), which lacks a dedicated children's channel and fills airtime for children's programs with sports, Germany offers a 24-hour service with KiKA (Kinderkanal), which is free of violence and advertising. The establishment of KiKA and the Children's Media Center in Erfurt after reunification demonstrates a strategic decision to invest in high-quality productions and the development of young talent. The key lies in inspiring children, not lecturing them, while playfully conveying topics such as nature, history, and technology. This difference in appreciation is also reflected in the financial landscape: the ORF spends twenty times more on sports rights than on its entire children's programming.

Sports journalism: More than just applause

A deeper dimension is also evident in sports journalism in Germany. While in Austria sports reporting is often accused of a tendency towards euphoria and a lack of critical distance (for example, in the case of Nicole Werdenigg, where the ORF sports department remained uninterested), investigative work is highly valued in Germany. ARD has established its own editorial team for doping investigations, whose revelations (such as in the Russian doping scandal) have made waves worldwide. This underscores a self-image that goes beyond simply commentating on sporting events and also allows for more in-depth, feature-style approaches and critical examination of abuses such as doping or questionable large-scale events in dictatorships. ARD has frozen its budget for sports rights at 360 million euros and deliberately forgoes expensive licenses such as the Champions League in order to avoid competing at any price.

Deutsche Welle: A bridge builder in a fragmented world

Deutsche Welle (DW) is a bridge-builder and embodies Germany's commitment to freedom of information across borders. As an international broadcaster, it transmits in over 40 languages ​​worldwide, with a particular focus on Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans. In regions where local media are often controlled by oligarchs or political groups, DW acts as a credible and independent source of information. Adelheid Feilcke, Head of the Eastern Europe Department at DW, emphasizes that credibility is DW's most important currency in countering targeted disinformation. Its journalistic independence is guaranteed by its constitution and by planning oversight by the German Bundestag. DW reaches younger audiences via social media and the internet with targeted formats. Projects such as the "Balkan Booster" also support young journalists from the Western Balkans by enabling them to work together in tandems, thus embarking on journalistic discovery journeys and building their capacity.

Germany impressively demonstrates how a public service media system can not only maintain its relevance in the digital age, but also play a pioneering role in developing innovative formats and ensuring journalistic quality. From funding and children's programming to sports journalism and international networking through Deutsche Welle, Germany sets standards that can serve as valuable inspiration for the entire European media landscape, and especially for its immediate neighbor, Austria.