Dr Thorsten Schmiege, President of Bavarian media authority BLM, will take over as chair of Germany’s Directors’ Conference of the Media Authorities (DLM) and the Commission on Licensing and Supervision (ZAK) from January 2026.
The decision was made by the General Conference of the Media Authorities (GK) during its meeting on 18 November 2025 in Berlin. Schmiege, 51, succeeds Dr Eva Flecken, Director of the Berlin-Brandenburg media authority mabb, who held the rotating DLM chair for the past two years.
GK chairman Albrecht Bähr praised Flecken’s leadership during a period of rapid technological and regulatory transformation. “The media world is in a technological upheaval whose pace has radically increased,” he said, noting the growing influence of global platforms on the media ecosystem. He highlighted Flecken’s commitment to ensuring that independent media regulation keeps pace with these developments and continues to operate within the framework set by legislation.
Bähr also acknowledged Flecken’s role in reorganising the Joint Office of the Media Authorities (GGS) for a more complex regulatory environment. He thanked both Flecken and the GGS team under Managing Director Andreas Hamann for modernising internal structures and strengthening the support offered to the media regulators.
Looking ahead, Bähr welcomed Schmiege as an “experienced expert in media policy and regulation” who will guide DLM through what he described as a challenging period for safeguarding media freedom. “Only a plurality of opinions and media forms the basis of a healthy and functioning democracy,” he said.
The GK also confirmed the deputy chairs of the DLM. Professor Christian Krebs (NLM) remains coordinator of the Committee on Regulation. Dr Wolfgang Kreißig (LFK) will take over as coordinator of the Committee on Infrastructure and Innovation, succeeding Schmiege.
Separately, the Conference of Chairs of the Media Authorities (GVK) renewed its leadership. Albrecht Bähr, who chairs the assembly of the Rhineland-Palatinate media authority, was re-elected for another two-year term. Martin Gorholt, Chair of the Media Council at mabb, was also confirmed for a further two years as deputy chair.
