Large tech companies find themselves at odds with the BDZV, as the media regulator sees them engaged in a media war.
The Federal Association of Digital Publishers and Newspaper Publishers (BDZV) has announced a series of changes aimed at strengthening its stance in shaping the future framework conditions for the publishing industry.
In a move that signals a more assertive approach, the BDZV has pledged to intervene more resolutely in issues that concern diverse markets, break up digital monopolies, reduce bureaucracy, and prevent state regulations from imposing unnecessary costs for opinion formation.
One of the key changes is the shift in the funding model for member companies. Instead of relying on circulation, the BDZV will now determine funding based on turnover. This adjustment is part of a "newly tailored and significantly streamlined organization of working groups" within the BDZV.
Matthias Ditzen-Blanke and Stefan Hilscher, the chairmen of the BDZV, were re-elected in Berlin, and they will lead this transformation. Stephanie von Unruh, newly elected to the management board, will be responsible for the Markets department.
Lambert Lensing-Wolff, Malte Wagner, and Nico Wilfer were also re-elected as department heads in the BDZV.
The BDZV has also formed an alliance with the Magazine Publishers Association MVFP, called the Alliance for the Future of Press, at the beginning of the year. The BDZV intends to intensify its cooperation with this alliance, but further details about this intensification were not provided.
The BDZV's focus remains on media policy issues and creating conditions for diverse markets and preventing digital monopolies. In its relationship with large tech platforms like Google, Meta, and Bytedance, the BDZV considers itself to be in a "state of media war - Us against Them."
Von Unruh's company, the "Nordwest-Zeitung," will belong to the Madsack media group from the following year.
The BDZV's new focus is on creating conditions that foster diverse markets and prevent digital monopolies. However, no mention was made about the BDZV's intentions to reduce bureaucracy or prevent state regulations from imposing unnecessary costs for opinion formation.
The BDZV plans to focus less on its internal organization and more on external issues like media policy. The association will be more assertive in shaping future framework conditions for the publishing industry and will intervene more resolutely in issues that concern diverse markets, break up digital monopolies, reduce bureaucracy, and prevent state regulations from imposing unnecessary costs for opinion formation.
