German cable operator association ANGA and collective rights management organisation Corint Media have resolved their long-standing legal dispute regarding the licensing and remuneration of the retransmission rights for commercial TV and radio broadcasters.
The mutual resolution follows a Federal Court of Justice ruling in July 2024, which upheld the licensing terms set by the Higher Regional Court of Munich as part of a collective agreement. The Munich court was then tasked solely with deciding on the contract duration, a matter ANGA and Corint Media have now resolved through a court-mediated settlement.
The agreed-upon collective contract will be retroactively effective from 1 January 2018 and run until 30 June 2025. Additionally, both parties have committed to promptly initiating negotiations for a long-term successor agreement.
As a result of the “fair conditions” achieved in the settlement, ANGA member companies can expect “substantial refunds”, ANGA Managing Director Dr Peter Charissé told Broadband TV News, without giving details. Industry experts estimate the total amount at several million euros.
With the settlement of the dispute, both sides are creating legal certainty and clarity for ANGA members as well as a stable basis for the rights holders to participate in the relevant revenues, according to a joint statement.
“With the Federal Court of Justice affirming the collective agreement, we’ve managed to settle a period spanning seven and a half years. This provides an ideal foundation for a long-term arrangement. We are pleased that we are returning from the courtroom to the negotiating table by mutual agreement,” stressed Charissé.
Dr Christine Jury-Fischer, Managing Director of Corint Media, emphasised the significance of the resolution: “Corint Media consistently advocates for the rights holders it represents. With this settlement, we can now focus on addressing shared challenges in a dynamic market. The agreement with ANGA demonstrates that collaborative solutions are achievable even in a complex environment.”
