Publishers outline requirements for collaborating with ARD and ZDF.

Advancements in technology - Publishers outline requirements for collaborating with ARD and ZDF.

ARD and ZDF aim to work together on technology for their media collections to prevent duplicity. The software should be publicly accessible (as open source), allowing other platforms to utilize it as well. This was divulged by ARD head Kai Gniffke and ZDF director Norbert Himmler in early May.

Yet, the Association of Southwest German Newspaper Publishers (VSZV) sees significant hurdles in this partnership. Like the Federal Association (BDZV), Southwest publishers have protested against certain internet offerings from ARD institutions for years as being overly textual and thus resembling unauthorized, "press-like" competition.

Concerning the dispute about press-like competition, VSZV Chair Lehari, who is also a BDZV board member, remarked: "We're compelled to go to Brussels and to court because we can't reach an agreement." For instance, there has been an ongoing legal feud with the Southwest Broadcasting Corporation (SWR) over its news app "Newszone." Gniffke is the ARD chair and also the SWR managing director.

Lehari added about the possibility of a technological collaboration with public broadcasters: "Given such conflicts, I can't imagine shouting 'Hooray for technology' and saying 'Let's do it immediately!'" Instead, she demanded: "There must be clear conditions that must be met first, including trust-building measures."

Furthermore, the VSZV chair stressed that "the rules of the game must be clear" for a technological union. This also entails the fundamental question: "Does it fall within the public service mandate to oversee technology?" The VSZV is hosting its yearly meeting in Stuttgart on Wednesday.

VSZV Annual Report [https://www.vsrv.de/sites/default/files/vsrv_jahresbericht_ginst_2020.pdf]

Read also:

1. Despite the concerns expressed by the Association of Southwest German Newspaper Publishers (VSZV), the German Public Broadcasting (ARD) and its member station ZDF continue to advocate for open source software collaboration to prevent duplicity in their media collections.
2. Kai Gniffke, who serves as the ARD chair and the SWR managing director, mentioned that this collaboration was discussed in early May, along with Norbert Himmler, the ZDF director.
3. The VSZV highlighted conflicts related to press-like competition, with chairman Lehari stating that they have had legal disputes with SWR over its news app "Newszone."
4. Lehari also emphasized the need for clear conditions and trust-building measures before entering into a technological collaboration with public broadcasters, such as ARD and ZDF.
5. The BDZV, like the VSZV, has opposed certain internet offerings from ARD institutions for years, as they perceived them as unauthorized and competing with traditional publishers.
6. The VSZV's annual report, available for download on their website, further outlines their perspectives on technology collaborations with public broadcasters and the challenges they present.
7. Meanwhile, Publishers and software developers looking to collaborate with ARD and ZDF may need to consider these hurdles and expectations, as set forth by the VSZV and BDZV, in order to effectively contribute to the development of open source software for media collections.
8. The German Press Agency (dpa) might also play a role in facilitating this collaboration, acting as a bridge between the publishers and public broadcasters, leveraging its media library with digital content and resources.

• Tough return to normality in snow and ice
• The flooding has lessened, but the aftermath of mud remains.
• Fewer unauthorized entries: Domino effect through controls
• Trial against BND employee from mid-December