The dispute over the funding of public service broadcasting has developed into a structural turning point for German film and television production. Whilst political decisions on broadcasting funding are still pending, broadcasters are already responding with specific changes to their programming – with direct consequences for production planning and the order book.

MDR confirms production hiatus for „Tatort“ and „Polizeiruf 110“

Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR) has officially announced that it is suspending the production of new episodes of the crime series „Tatort“ and „Polizeiruf 110“ for a period of three years. The broadcaster cites as the reason the failure to implement the adjustment to the broadcasting licence fee recommended by the KEF and the resulting financial planning shortfall.

At the same time, MDR has made it clear that films that have already been produced and are covered by contracts will continue to be broadcast. However, no new production commissions will be awarded for the time being.

Constitutional clarification of broadcasting funding

In parallel with the MDR’s programming decision, the funding of public service broadcasting is the subject of proceedings before the Federal Constitutional Court. The Court has scheduled an oral hearing for 23 June 2026 to consider constitutional complaints lodged by ARD and ZDF.

At its heart, the issue is whether the federal states are bound by the licence fee recommendation set by the KEF or whether they have political leeway in its implementation. ARD and ZDF believe that the failure to adjust the licence fee is undermining their constitutionally guaranteed ability to function.

Criticism of the austerity measures from within the industry

The MDR’s decision has come in for strong criticism from industry associations. The Federal Association of Actors (BFFS) warns that there will be significant repercussions for employment and production structures. Fewer commissioned fiction productions would lead directly to a decline in work for actors and other film professionals.

The German Screenwriters’ Association also takes a critical view of the programme cuts. Particular emphasis is placed on the cultural significance of crime series as high-reach formats within the ARD, as well as their role in ensuring regional representation within the public service broadcasting network.

Film locations: caught between a cultural mission and financial pressures

Whilst public service broadcasting output is coming under pressure, some federal states continue to prioritise the expansion of cultural infrastructure in the film sector. In recent state policy agreements, film festivals and location promotion are explicitly being prioritised as integral parts of cultural development.

This creates a tension between the growing rhetoric surrounding cultural policy funding at regional level and the simultaneous decline in production within the public broadcasting system.

Systemic shift

Current developments point to a structural shift in the German film and television sector. The issue of broadcasting funding affects not only broadcasters’ budgets, but also, directly, production volumes, employment and regional visibility in fiction television.