A coalition of experts is urging the German government to prioritize measures bolstering the nation’s diverse media landscape, echoing a commitment made in the governing agreement. The “Initiative 18” a group comprising professionals from the media industry, journalism and research, is calling for concrete action to ensure a level playing field for quality media outlets in competition with digital platforms and social networks.
Manfred Kluge, a founding member of the Initiative, emphasized that the goal is specifically to counter disinformation. He suggested a potential tax incentive for newspaper subscriptions, framing them as a form of continuing education contributing to informed opinion formation and media literacy. This approach, he argued, could provide a valuable stimulus for supporting credible news sources.
The Initiative also expressed support for a proposal put forward by State Minister for Culture and Media, Wolfram Weimer, regarding a solidarity contribution from digital platforms. Kluge described this as a promising step, particularly noting the limited tax contributions currently made by major digital corporations operating in Germany.
“Initiative 18” has established itself as an advocate for maintaining and strengthening media diversity and independence, recognizing the critical role of trustworthy media and ethical journalism in acting as a counterbalance to misinformation, hate speech and online harassment within a functioning democracy. The group views this as a vital component of a healthy democratic society.
