The participants met in Cadenabbia and debated the coexistence and competition of the Private and Public Service Media, the role of the global platforms and the current challenges of the dual broadcasting systems in their countries.
Dr. Wolfgang Kreißig, President and Chairman of the Board of the Media Authority in Baden-Württemberg, presented the historical milestones and structure of the dual broadcasting system in Germany. Kreißig underlined the importance of competitiveness with the streaming platforms, efforts for better media literacy and higher prioritisation of media policy in the political agenda.
With focus on private media, Claus Grewenig, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at RTL Germany and Chairman of the Board of the Private Broadcasters' Association “Vaunet”, recounted on the remit, commercial activities an advertising. Grewenig pointed out the preservation of the financial stability of the private media sector and its crucial role for the democratic society, looking beyond the entertainment. The participants agreed that there should be more responsibility taken by the on-demand platforms and more pressure through the EU legislation.
During the 2-day conference topics were discussed such as: the coexistence and competition between Private and Public Service Media, political influence, young audiences and financial models in South East Europe. The media professionals concluded that the dual broadcasting should transform to be more diverse, more efficient, and financially stable. Christoph Plate, Director of the KAS Media Programme SEE, said: “It is necessary to redefine the dual broadcasting system and cherish its role in forming democratic societies.”