Medien: Zeitungsverleger fordern konkrete Zusagen von Bundesregierung

Berlin - The head of the German Publishers and Newspapers Alliance, Matthias Ditzen-Blanke, has called on the federal government to provide concrete commitments to bolster journalism. The industry association urged a high-level discussion with the federal government to discuss the future of the press. The focus is not on another pledge to the press, but on a commitment from the federal government to decide when open questions will be addressed, Ditzen-Blanke told the German Press Agency.

Topics on the agenda include fair visibility of journalistic offerings on platforms, rules for the use of journalistic content by artificial intelligence (AI), and a so-called press impact assessment for new laws. "The summit would be more than a branch meeting if the government then clearly explains which proposals it decides on and by when," Ditzen-Blanke said.

A press impact assessment should become a standard part of the impact assessment of new laws, according to the BDZV president. The federal government should outline early on how planned regulations would affect editorial offices, subscriptions, delivery, and the economic viability of journalistic offerings. Ditzen-Blanke cited changes in the employment rules for part-time jobs as an example, emphasizing the need to consider whether early newspaper delivery would continue to function, especially in sparsely populated areas.

"A press impact assessment does not give publishers a veto; it makes the consequences of political decisions for the press visible," Ditzen-Blanke explained. The BDZV is convening its congress in Berlin on Tuesday under the theme "Democracy needs many voices," among other things discussing the impact of digital platforms on political opinion formation, media literacy, and the role of regional publishers against international tech firms.