Skip to main content

Site navigation

  • University of Technology Sydney home
  • Home

    Home
  • For students

  • For industry

  • Research

Explore

  • Courses
  • Events
  • News
  • Stories
  • People

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Study at UTS

    • arrow_right_alt Find a course
    • arrow_right_alt Course areas
    • arrow_right_alt Undergraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Postgraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Research Masters and PhD
    • arrow_right_alt Online study and short courses
  • Student information

    • arrow_right_alt Current students
    • arrow_right_alt New UTS students
    • arrow_right_alt Graduates (Alumni)
    • arrow_right_alt High school students
    • arrow_right_alt Indigenous students
    • arrow_right_alt International students
  • Admissions

    • arrow_right_alt How to apply
    • arrow_right_alt Entry pathways
    • arrow_right_alt Eligibility
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for students

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Apply for a coursearrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Scholarshipsarrow_right_alt
  • Featured industries

    • arrow_right_alt Agriculture and food
    • arrow_right_alt Defence and space
    • arrow_right_alt Energy and transport
    • arrow_right_alt Government and policy
    • arrow_right_alt Health and medical
    • arrow_right_alt Corporate training
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Tech Central
    • arrow_right_alt Case studies
    • arrow_right_alt Research
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for industry

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Partner with usarrow_right_alt
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Explore our research
    • arrow_right_alt Research centres and institutes
    • arrow_right_alt Graduate research
    • arrow_right_alt Research partnerships
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for research

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Research centres and institutesarrow_right_alt
  • University of Technology Sydney home
Explore the University of Technology Sydney
Category Filters:
University of Technology Sydney home University of Technology Sydney home
  1. home
  2. arrow_forward_ios ... Newsroom
  3. arrow_forward_ios ... 2023
  4. arrow_forward_ios 11
  5. arrow_forward_ios Defining journalism in Germany

Defining journalism in Germany

3 November 2023
A man stands on top of building blocks contemplative

In our work on media standards schemes, we’re looking at how industry-based regulation interacts with legislation in several other countries. The most perplexing of these jurisdictions is Germany, so a recent trip for the IIC annual conference in Cologne gave me the opportunity to learn something about the country’s network of intersecting regulators and regulations.

Any discussion of German media regulation needs to start with the acknowledgement that it’s state-based, not the kind of federal arrangement we have in Australia. So there are 14 state media authorities, rather than one national version of ACMA. That said, there are some national umbrella organisations for specific purposes and there are interstate treaties, the most significant of which is the Interstate Media Treaty (Medienstaatsvertrag, or ‘MStV’).

It’s the MStV that produces one of the most interesting aspects of regulation in Germany: the recognition of non-traditional sources of journalism under the category of ‘telemedia’.

Telemedia covers newsletters, podcasts, YouTube channels and other sources of content that regularly contain news or political information. They must be ‘commercial’ but this doesn’t mean they must be profit-driven; it just means that the content is intended for other than private use. The main requirement, though, is that it must be ‘journalistically and editorially designed’. This involves a journalistic mode of working that is independent of its subjects. It must be targeted at a large audience, related to current debates or topics, and aimed at contributing to the formation of public opinion.

There are consequences of qualifying as telemedia. Most significantly, these independent telemedia sources are treated like the online versions of traditional news media and, since November 2020, have been subject to a requirement to observe ‘journalistic due diligence’. This is where industry-based regulation intersects with statutory regulation. The German Press Code (‘Pressekodex’), promulgated by the German Press Council (‘Deutscher Presserat’), is the key standards instrument in this whole scheme: compliance with the Press Code is taken as fulfilling the requirement for journalistic due diligence under the MStV. Accordingly, telemedia providers have been joining the Press Council.

We’re not suggesting there is a case for translating these arrangements to the Australian environment but our research looks at how the Australian arrangements could be adapted for the contemporary media scene, and the curious category of ‘telemedia’ does give a very interesting example of a more expansive approach to defining journalism and news media – whether that’s for the purpose of imposing obligations for news standards, or providing benefits in recognition of the broader, democratic functions of journalism.
We’re planning on publishing our preliminary set of tables on overseas standards schemes – including the arrangements in Germany – on our website before the end of 2023.

Derek Wilding - CMT Co-Director

Derek Wilding, CMT Co-Director

Share
Share this on Facebook Share this on Twitter Share this on LinkedIn
Back to CMT news

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation and the Boorooberongal People of the Dharug Nation upon whose ancestral lands our campuses now stand. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands. 

University of Technology Sydney

City Campus

15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007

Get in touch with UTS

Follow us

  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Facebook

A member of

  • Australian Technology Network
Use arrow keys to navigate within each column of links. Press Tab to move between columns.

Study

  • Find a course
  • Undergraduate
  • Postgraduate
  • How to apply
  • Scholarships and prizes
  • International students
  • Campus maps
  • Accommodation

Engage

  • Find an expert
  • Industry
  • News
  • Events
  • Experience UTS
  • Research
  • Stories
  • Alumni

About

  • Who we are
  • Faculties
  • Learning and teaching
  • Sustainability
  • Initiatives
  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Campus and locations
  • Awards and rankings
  • UTS governance

Staff and students

  • Current students
  • Help and support
  • Library
  • Policies
  • StaffConnect
  • Working at UTS
  • UTS Handbook
  • Contact us
  • Copyright © 2025
  • ABN: 77 257 686 961
  • CRICOS provider number: 00099F
  • TEQSA provider number: PRV12060
  • TEQSA category: Australian University
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility