Verdi, the services union, has urged the state premiers to bind the commission‑recommended broadcasting fee of €18.64 to a state treaty from 2027.
Christoph Schmitz‑Dethlefsen, Verdi’s media spokesperson, said on Friday that the fee must be brought back into the rule of law. He noted that, while public‑broadcaster groups and the KEF have followed the contribution procedure, broadcasters now have a duty to uphold the process and implement the Federal Constitutional Court’s rulings.
Addressing the revised fee level, Schmitz‑Dethlefas added that the independent KEF’s recommendation “must be respected”. The new report highlights a rising financial need for public broadcasters, which must be funded. He warned that, in fear of past failures to raise the fee, broadcasters have cut costs across the board and delayed essential investment. The KEF treats those savings as a demand‑reducing factor in its recalibration of the fee.
On the other side, Bitkom, the IT‑industry association, is pressing for a fee cut. Bitkom’s chief executive Bernhard Rohleder argued that public broadcasting is urgently needed amid societal division and increasing misinformation, but it can only influence the nation if it is accepted as a trustworthy quality medium by the general public. “Charging a monthly fee for a service that many people use only sporadically, and that is well above the costs of private radio and streaming platforms, is counter‑productive” Rohleder said.
He added that, given the tight financial situation of many households, the fee should not rise further but should trend lower. Lowering the burden on payers would send the right message.
