Publishers' association calls for top-level discussions and concrete commitments from the federal government

The publishers' association wants to talk to the federal government about the future of the press. BDZV President Ditzen-Blanke makes it clear what he expects from such a meeting.

Berlin. The chairman of the board of the Federal Association of Digital Publishers and Newspaper Publishers (BDZV), Matthias Ditzen-Blanke, is calling on the federal government to make concrete commitments to strengthen journalistic media. The publishers' association is pushing for a top-level discussion with the federal government on the future of the press. This is not about a further commitment to the press, but rather a commitment from the federal government as to who will decide the open questions and by when, Ditzen-Blanke told the German Press Agency.

According to Ditzen-Blanke, the agenda includes, among other things, fair visibility of journalistic offerings on platforms, rules for the use of journalistic content through artificial intelligence (AI) and a so-called press impact check for new laws. “The summit would be more than just an industry meeting if the government then clearly explained which proposals it would decide on and by when.”

According to the BDZV President, a press impact check should become an integral part of the legal impact assessment. The federal government would then have to explain at an early stage how planned regulations will affect editorial offices, subscriptions, delivery and the economic viability of journalistic offerings.

Ditzen-Blanke cited changes to the employment rules for mini-jobs as an example. It must be taken into account whether early newspaper delivery will continue to work, particularly in sparsely populated areas. “A press impact check does not give publishers the right to veto; it makes the consequences of political decisions visible to the press.”

The BDZV is meeting this Tuesday for its congress in Berlin. Under the motto “Democracy needs many voices”, the focus is, among other things, on the influence of digital platforms on the formation of political opinions, media competence and the role of regional publishers compared to international tech companies.