Sending out transmissions - Publishers claim that politicians overlook their obligation to aid the media.
Lehari's Frustration: "Despite obvious signals that the political system needs to intervene for the newspaper industry's future, no progress is being made. This is negligence in my opinion." Lehari is also a board member of the Federal Association of Newspaper Publishers (BDZV). The Southwest German Newspaper Publishers (VSZV) will convene this Wednesday in Stuttgart for their annual meeting.
The publishers have long been demanding funding to cover the increasing costs of home delivery of newspapers. "Despite past declarations, no action has been taken. This surprises us," shared Lehari. They also want the reduced VAT rate for print and digital products distributed by publishers to be further lowered. In their view, a digital support program can also help facilitate the transformation.
In May, Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) mentioned that he'd "still be open" to exploring a state-sponsored subsidy for newspaper distribution: "Based on our restricted budget, we'll examine what is achievable." Lehari urged the government to step in and ease the transition to digital media. "This isn't about permanent assistance.We simply need a short-term boost."
Lehari was also upset with the European Union's leadership in Brussels. "The Commission presidency isn't addressing our worries. Our pleas go unanswered." While there are efforts to regulate the tech giants like Google, "The available tools are insufficient for a strong implementation of these measures, including the possible dismantling of these massive tech conglomerates."
