2023-08-03 13:24:20
Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) has defended its plans to change the range of cultural activities on the radio once morest criticism. “No cultural content will be deleted,” said the culture program director of the public ARD broadcaster, Björn Wilhelm, on Thursday of the German Press Agency in Munich.
“It is a program strategy and not an austerity project,” Wilhelm said of the ongoing reform considerations. “I have neither plans nor has it been decided that even one euro will be saved in culture.”
Since last year, BR has been reviewing its entire range of television, radio and Internet services in an overall process. In the past few days there has been public criticism because radio programs in the Bayern 2 program are regarding to end. The Munich “Abendzeitung” reported regarding it first.
In a fire letter quoted by the newspaper, which is also available to dpa, there is talk of an impending “clear cut”. More than seven hours of cultural programs per week should therefore be removed from the program.
Criticism also came from the cultural sector, for example from publishers and the Pen Berlin authors’ association. It is feared that, for example, the radio book show “Diwan” and the cultural magazine “KulturWelt” or the “RadioTexte” with readings might be dropped. “There will be no clear cut,” said Wilhelm. “We don’t trim any content.” In some cases, cultural content from special programs with a small audience is to be relocated to programs that are listened to very heavily, for example in the morning. “We want to strengthen prime time with more culture.”
The BR program director has not yet been more specific. At the beginning of October, possible models will be presented to the program committee of the Broadcasting Council control body and exchanged views on them.
The range of programs and the finances of public service broadcasting throughout Germany are currently the subject of heated debate. All ARD houses are in a major reform process, which is also looking for synergies in the program. The institutions want to free up money in the linear, i.e. continuous, program offers in order to invest in the digital. There they hope to reach more younger people. The average age of the audience in public service broadcasting is comparatively high. For the BR reforms, Wilhelm said: “It is our complete offer that we are reviewing and developing.” In the core times of classic radio and television, you want to be strong. At the same time, if the use of linear radio and TV is not so high, the means would be viewed very critically and it would be considered whether digital products might be created.
“Formats and content can change during this process,” said Wilhelm. The BR must take care of the digital and also of the younger audience. “It’s also regarding intergenerational justice.”
1691069779
#criticism #radio #plans #deleting #cultural #content
