A recent study conducted by the Otto-Brenner Foundation has found that the economic reporting on ARD and ZDF is comprehensive, but heavily influenced by federal politics and lacks depth in certain areas. The study highlighted a lack of continuity and contextualization in the coverage of economic topics, with news programs, talk shows, and political magazines on public television dedicating about one-fifth of their airtime to economic issues. The study, titled “Viel Kraft und wenig Biss” (A Lot of Power and Little Bite), pointed out that economic magazines primarily address their audience as consumers, with a focus on consumer perspectives in about 65 percent of the segments.
The study also pointed out that other perspectives, such as confrontation with decision-makers in politics and business, are often overlooked. While there is a significant amount of economic coverage on public television, only the program “Wirtschaft vor acht” on Das Erste provides a consistent economic reporting that follows developments even when economic events are not making headlines. The study authors noted that the mainstream economic reporting on public television largely reflects the agenda of political Berlin, with topics like energy price shock mitigation, basic income, social policy, and China’s economic dependence being frequently discussed.
According to the Otto-Brenner Foundation, coverage of wage policy only appears prominently in programs when there are strikes or wage agreements to report. The coverage then quickly fades from focus. The study authors criticized the lack of attention given to the international dimension of economics in the reporting, noting that European, foreign, and macroeconomic developments are only addressed on an event-driven basis. They suggest the need for a new “Permanent Economic Policy Format” that could be integrated into economic magazines to address these gaps in coverage.
The study analyzed nearly 5,800 broadcasts totaling around 3,400 hours of programming from the fall of 2022 to the spring of 2023 using computer-assisted media analysis methods. The authors concluded that the economic reporting on ARD and ZDF lacks originality and could benefit from a stronger focus on independent perspectives. They recommend the introduction of a new format that specifically addresses economic policy issues to enhance the depth and diversity of economic reporting on public television.
