Controversial broadcasting fee: who has to pay it and who doesn’t

The model of public service broadcasting in Germany as we know it today was introduced after the events of World War II. The media should be independent of the state and contribute to the formation of opinions in society. But today the public broadcasters in the form of ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio see themselves exposed to ever-increasing criticism. It was only last year that the increase in the broadcasting fee from EUR 17.50 to EUR 18.36 failed. What is the reason that more and more people are in favor of abolishing the GEZ fees? What do the public service broadcasters bring us and who has to pay for everything anyway?

Who has to pay the license fee?

Who has to pay broadcasting fees is regulated in the State Broadcasting Agreement. In principle, the radio license fee has to be paid for every apartment. However, there are exceptions, after which individual households can be exempted from the contributions.

On the one hand, this applies to recipients of social benefits, such as unemployment benefit II, BAfG, basic security or benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, as the Hamburg Consumer Center writes. However, the persons concerned must unsubscribe themselves and prove that they have received these services. Depending on the number of employees, companies also have to pay a broadcasting license fee.

With regard to second homes, the Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG) made a final judgment in 2018. According to this, one does not have to pay any broadcasting contributions for the second home, but those affected must also ensure that their second home is exempt from the contributions (cf. Az. 1 BvR 1675/16, among others).

A point that repeatedly leads to conflict is the irrelevance of the question of whether an apartment owner or tenant has the necessary equipment to receive the services of the public service broadcasters or not. What is certain is that everyone has to pay the broadcasting license fee, even those who do not have the necessary receivers or who do not agree with the offers from ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio.

ARD and ZDF: “state radio” and “compulsory fees”?

The range of criticism that the public service broadcasters are exposed to is wide. Too many channels, too high salaries, too little profitability, too old-fashioned and not enough digital. These allegations all have a kernel of truth somewhere in them. And yet they should not be used to question the relevance of ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio, writes Harald Staun from the Frankfurter Allgemeine.

Criticism has been particularly loud in recent months and weeks, especially from the camps surrounding the Alternative for Germany (AfD). Media politicians and scientists agree that the current system is no longer up to date and needs to be reformed. However, these demands already existed before the AfD even existed. But is the requirement to abolish the entire system the solution to this problem?

Probably not. The failure to increase broadcasting fees has pleased many critics, but it does not solve the real problem. Because the public service broadcasters must finally learn to use the funds available to them responsibly and efficiently, Staun continues.

Felix Spies / Editor finanzen.net

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