Germany’s state-level governments want the public broadcasting system to cut down the number of radio programmes as part of a broader reform.
This is aimed at making the system more cost-efficient.

The coordinator of Germany’s Broadcasting Commission of the Federal States, Heike Raab, told dpa on Friday.

He said that there have been discussions about consolidating special-interest public television channels and limiting the number of smartphone apps operated by the public broadcasters.

He said that in Germany, public broadcasting is funded by a fee charged to households and is governed under a treaty between all 16 German states.

The broadcasting commission, controlled by the states, determined the country’s general structure of public broadcasting.

Although the broadcasters operate with journalistic independence and control their programming content, he said.

“We will reduce the number of radio programmes,” Mr Raab told dpa, although he did not specifically name any targeted reductions.

The commission planned to present recommendations to Germany’s 16 state premiers in October.

Recently, the regional broadcaster Hessischer Rundfunk announced that it was planning to have fewer than the current six radio programmes in the long term.

The cost-savings push came amid controversy over efforts to raise the monthly mandatory household contributions from 18.36 euros to 18.94 euros ($19.72 to $20.24), which some state leaders oppose.

Mr Raab said the commission was looking to redefine the mandates for some public broadcasters.

It also eliminates redundant programming and encourages cooperation with educational and cultural institutions.

“We are strengthening everything relating to cooperation and efficiency,” Mr Raab said.

(dpa/NAN)