Reform of Communications and Media Policy

The media policy in Federal Government and States and at the European level continues to strive for the alignment of its framework with the requirements of convergence in the media area. The Institute is supporting this through concrete projects like the research section of the Report on Communications and Media. Alongside this, representatives of the Institute are cooperating in expert groups of the European Commission, are giving the problem area structure through talks or offering contributions at hearings.

Against this background, a systematic research-based presentation of media policy also makes sense. Commentary on important regulations in German broadcasting law will make a contribution to that and, at the same time, the individual problems posed by converging digital media landscape will in turn crystallise out. Among these latter, the situation, for instance, of so-called platform providers, now firmly to the fore, figures in the context of digital cable television as well as of television for mobiles. Their example also permits an illustration of challenges to traditional models in broadcasting law, such as that of the broadcasting provider, a concept that is also coming increasingly under pressure in other respects. Finally, there appears to be some profit in systematically describing media regulation on the European level to gain a better understanding of the legal background to media policy.