As of: February 9, 2024, 5:19 a.m
By: Fabian Hartmann
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Next year, consumers could expect an increase in broadcasting fees.
Some ZDF presenters earn millions, a new list shows.
Munich – The broadcasting fee for public broadcasters from
ARD
,
ZDF
and
Deutschlandradio
is actually supposed to be increased in 2025.
In any case, the KEF fee commission will present its 24th report on February 23rd.
It is expected that from 2025 it will increase the broadcasting fee by 58 cents to 18.94 euros instead of the current 18.36 euros.
However, the increase in the broadcasting fee from next year is still being discussed.
The federal states in particular could put a stop to the original plan to increase the license fee.
To do this, however, they would have to take an unusual path - and the broadcasters would have to follow suit.
Exclusive list shows how much ZDF presenters earn
Adding to the current debate is the fact that the public broadcasting companies
ARD
,
ZDF
and
Deutschlandfunk
have recently become the focus of criticism.
The reason was a list leaked to
Welt am Sonntag
about how much presenters at ZDF earn annually.
Actually, the fees of presenters are usually kept secret by the broadcasters.
According to the list, presenter Markus Lanz receives 1.9 million euros annually.
Chef Horst Lichter's salary is therefore 1.7 million euros per year and comedian and
Today Show
host Oliver Welke receives 1.2 million euros per year.
Moderator Johannes Kerner receives a total of 630,000 euros annually.
According to internal ZDF documents , presenter Andrea Kiewel, best known from the traditional
ZDF
program “ Fernsehengarten”, has an annual salary of 400,000 euros.
The science journalist Mai Thi Leiendecker earns around 349,000 euros and Giovanni Zarella around 300,000 euros annually.
State ministers could still prevent an increase in the broadcasting fee
On July 20, 2021, the Federal Constitutional Court ruled in a decision that the states had a state obligation to act with regard to ensuring the financing of public broadcasters.
This also corresponds to a fundamental right to funding.
If they do not fulfill their obligation, they could be reprimanded by the public broadcasters with a constitutional complaint.
According to the State Media Treaty, the so-called obligation to act is defined in such a way that the contribution is determined on the basis of a state treaty.
As is well known, the constitutional judges have also ruled that deviations from the KEF proposal may only be made in exceptional cases and only with well-founded reasons: “For the regulations of the (broadcasting financing) State Treaty on contribution adjustments to come into force - on the basis of the KEF's assessment of needs - there is currently no need other agreement (…) again and again requires the consent of all countries,” the Karlsruhe judges explained to the
FAZ
at the time
.
But the states could ignore the KEF's recommendation of February 23rd and decide not to create a new state broadcasting financing treaty.
Since several prime ministers and the governing mayor of Berlin have spoken out against an increase in contributions, they would not even sign this agreement, which would also have to be approved by the state parliaments.
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3.2 million households in Germany do not pay broadcasting fees - or are in arrears
In principle, the broadcasting fee is mandatory for every household.
However, under certain circumstances you can also be exempt from your payment obligation - these include, among others, low earners or certain pensioners.
According to current forecasts in the annual report of the contribution service, it can be assumed that a total of 3.2 million households in Germany do not pay any broadcasting fees.
Or that they are late with their payments.
(Fabian Hartmann)