German public broadcaster ZDF is asking for an additional €383M ($433M) "for the next fee period from '17-20," according to Hans-Peter Siebenhaar of HANDELSBLATT. Coincidence or not, it "is almost the exact same amount that the country's other public broadcaster, ARD, requested only a few days earlier" -- €396M ($447M). Germany's system of compulsory fees to fund ARD and ZDF "makes it Europe's most expensive public broadcast system." Germany's residents and corporations will pay more than €8B ($9B) in fees. This system "results in full coffers at ARD and ZDF, despite the fact that both portray the opposite." ARD and ZDF "will generate a profit of more than €2B by '16." The amount "will be kept in a frozen account that both public broadcasters want to access." ARD Chair Lutz Marmor said that the reason behind the new demand is "quality programming costs money." However, only a fraction of the fees "actually go toward programming." The majority "is earmarked for pensions and an inefficient administrative apparatus." The solution "is a reformation of Germany's public broadcast system" (HANDELSBLATT, 8/31).
