Withdrawal: Publishers Establish Terms for Collaboration with ARD and ZDF

Innovation in the Digital Realm - Withdrawal: Publishers Establish Terms for Collaboration with ARD and ZDF

ARD and ZDF have plans to partner up on technology for their media libraries in the future, aiming to prevent unnecessary overlap. This software should be open source, allowing other media to take advantage of it as well. This news was shared in early May by ARD Chairman Kai Gniffke and ZDF Managing Director Norbert Himmler.

Nonetheless, the Association of Southwest German Publishers (VSZV) anticipates considerable obstacles for such a collaboration. Thanks to the Federal Association (BDZV) criticizing some of the online offerings from ARD institutions in the network, they view this as an unlawful, "press-like" competition.

Regarding the disagreement around press-like competition, VSZV Chairperson Lehari - who additionally serves on the BDZV board - expressed his stance: "We're compelled to visit Brussels and head to court because we can't come to a compromise." A legal battle with the Southwest Broadcasting Corporation (SWR) over its news app "Newszone" is one such example. Gniffke serves as the ARD Chairman and the Managing Director of SWR.

Lehari also touched on the prospect of a technological cooperation with public broadcasters, stating, "Given such conflicts, it's tough to neutrally celebrate 'Hooray for technology!' and instantly start the process." He called for specific conditions to be addressed first, like trust-building measures.

Moreover, VSZV Chairperson Lehari underlined the importance of clarity in terms of rules for a technological partnership. This includes determining whether operating technology is part of the public service mandate. The VSZV will have its annual meeting in Stuttgart on Wednesday.

VSZV Annual Report

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1. The German Press Agency (BDZV) has been critical of some online offerings from ARD institutions, which the Association of Southwest German Publishers (VSZV) views as unlawful "press-like" competition.
2. Kai Gniffke, the ARD Chairman and Managing Director of SWR, is involved in a legal battle with the Southwest Broadcasting Corporation (SWR) over its news app "Newszone".
3. VSZV Chairperson Lehari has expressed his concerns about a technological collaboration with public broadcasters, stating that conflicts need to be addressed first, such as trust-building measures and clarifying whether operating technology is part of the public service mandate.
4. ARD and ZDF aim to prevent unnecessary overlap by partnering up on technology for their media libraries and using open source software, which can be beneficial for other media as well.
5. The annual meeting of the VSZV will take place in Stuttgart on Wednesday, where they will discuss issues related to technology partnerships and media collaboration.
6. ARD Chairman Kai Gniffke and ZDF Managing Director Norbert Himmler announced the plans to partner up on technology for their media libraries in early May, which was met with anticipation as well as reservations from some publishers.
7. The Association of Southwest German Publishers (VSZV) has predicted considerable obstacles for such a collaboration with ARD and ZDF, citing unlawful competition and the need for specific conditions to be addressed first.
8. The software for ARD and ZDF's media libraries, which will be open source, could potentially be published by a German publisher, further increasing the utility and accessibility of this technology for the broader media industry.

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