After five years of debate, the directors of the public broadcasters hope that the media policy of the federal states will finally make a clear decision on their mandate.

What did the intended changes amount to?

The ZDF director Thomas Bellut said in this newspaper: "I hear and read, also here in the FAZ, different positions and ideas, but I do not yet know of a media policy concept that is ready to be announced."

The secrecy should end in the next week. On June 9, the Broadcasting Commission plans to adopt a draft amendment to the State Media Treaty. Then all the station bosses should be informed. It is planned that the draft can be discussed online in the summer. The result of the online consultation is to be incorporated into the draft of the amended mandate, which is to be adopted by the Prime Minister's Conference in October. The aim is for a reformed public service mandate to come into force on January 1, 2023, adapted to today's media use.

The expectations are high, as the various expressions of opinion at this point in the past few weeks have made clear.

There is not agreement on all points.

According to Benjamin Hoff, Head of the State Chancellery in Thuringia, this includes concrete steps to increase flexibility, quality management with a view to the role of the committees, trial operation options as well as the type and scope of platforms and joint strategies.

Public service offers under public law

In their draft, the countries define what they expect. In this way, the “overall social discourse in the federal and state levels” is to be promoted: The broadcasters have the task of “presenting an overall offer for everyone. Participation in the information society should be made possible for all population groups and guidance should be offered. Appropriate consideration is given to all age groups, especially children, adolescents and young adults, the concerns of people with disabilities and the concerns of families. The public law offers have to serve the education, information, advice and entertainment. They have to offer contributions to culture in particular. Entertainment should also correspond to a public service profile. "It's about, says Benjamin Hoff,“To produce public service offers under public law precisely”. It is crucial that the program not only looks at individual target groups, but also addresses society as a whole. Carsten Brosda, Hamburg's Senator for Culture and Media, said in an interview that young users had to be reached even better - with content that had a public profile. This includes target group-specific, interactive communication with users.This includes target group-specific, interactive communication with users.This includes target group-specific, interactive communication with users.

The suggestion of some countries that the offers are particularly noticeable where the use could be particularly high is controversial.

For television, this means primarily in prime time and for telemedia on the home page.

This is what the film industry associations and politicians from the CDU and FDP are calling for.

Where is the linear program?

The proposal for a canon of duties is also controversial.

The broadcasters are obliged to "high journalistic standards", which "in particular the principles of truth, objectivity and respect for personal rights, the principles of objectivity and impartiality corresponding to a public service profile as well as the balanced presentation of the broadest possible diversity of topics and opinions" to obey.