German public broadcaster ARD and cable operator association DNMG have concluded a long-term agreement regulating the distribution of ARD’s channels and services on the networks of DNMG members.
The settlement also terminates the long-standing legal dispute over cable carriage conditions.
“This agreement is not only an important step towards a stable and long-term cooperation, but also emphasises the commitment of both parties to transparency, fairness and equal treatment in the German media market,” said DNMG Managing Director Ingo Schuchert. “We are confident that this cooperation will fulfil the needs of broadcasters, network operators and viewers alike and make an important contribution to the diversity and quality of the media landscape in Germany.”
According industry sources, ARD agreed to pay “market-standard” cable carriage fees to the DNMG network operators as part of the settlement. But confirmation is not given. “We ask for your understanding that we are not commenting on the details of this partnership agreement in public,” a spokesperson of ARD affiliate MDR told Broadband TV News. DNMG also declined to comment when asked.
At the end of 2022, DNMG reached an agreement with ZDF in the dispute over cable carriage fees and concluded a long-term agreement for the distribution of ZDF’s programmes and services on the networks of the DNMG members.
After there was still no agreement in sight with ARD, DNMG threatened ARD with a “wave” of lawsuits for damages by its members due to the “anti-competitive refusal to pay carriage fees”.
DNMG and cable operator association FRK had been fighting for years to ensure that small and medium-sized network operators receive carriage fees from the public broadcasters, putting them on equal terms with the large cable operators.
