Thursday, August 5, 2021

The 86-Cent Story

Months ago, the public TV/radio folks tried to push a 86-cent rise in the monthly 'fee' across to the German public.  The chief problem is that you 'must' have all sixteen states sign off (this is written down in the rules).  

Well...Saxony-Anhalt said no (the other fifteen states said sure on the tax increase). ARD (the chief folks who run the TV/radio public empire) took this to court. 

Why the 'no'?  Well....they went back a number of years and reviewed their comments to ARD.....demanding a reorganization take place, and it never occurred.

Today, the Constitutional Court will have a say in the matter.  My best guess?  They will tell the public TV  folks that they can have the 86-cent increase.....IF they change the wording of the law, thus forcing this all back into the Bundestag.  

Political feeling right now?  The CDU came out around nine months ago and said they want a public TV evolution to occur....meaning a massive reorganization and downsizing.  The SPD has been mostly silent over this issue.   So if the ARD  folks were looking for some solution to appear....it's just not there.

So this will be a big deal to be discussed tonight on public TV news. 

UPDATE: 09:49 AM, Court decides the fee can increase without full absolute vote of all sixteen states.  Goes up immediately by 86 cents.

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