Gerhard Zeiler launched his speech with several quotes by politicians to show how television – especially commercial television – is the subject of public scolding, and noted: “It’s easy to badmouth television because everyone, really everyone, knows what you’re talking about.” In his nearly 30-minute speech, Zeiler elaborated on the contribution that television, criticism notwithstanding, makes for society and within society. He pointed especially to four important dimensions: political awareness building, social mandates, reflecting society, and entertainment.

“We build awareness, we tell the background story, and we tackle questions no one else wants to deal with,” declared Zeiler, and proceeded to talk about the first aspect – communicating political content.

Commercial TV translates political communications into a language understood by young people, said RTL Group’s CEO. That, he said, is the reason that the public broadcasters’ news draw fewer young viewers – because the latter don’t understand the language spoken by the former. However, Zeiler was careful to point out that translation is not tabloidisation, let alone infotainment.

Zeiler then went on to speak about the second aspect: television’s social mandates. At a time when government support is being cut ever further, social workers turn into protagonists on television, under the heading ‘helping people to help themselves’. Zeiler cited RTL Television coaching formats such as Raus aus den Schulden (Get Out of Debt) with Peter Zwegat and Super Nanny with Katharina Saalfrank, described by Der Spiegel magazine as “heroes of social work,” as perfect examples for ‘Help-TV’. “By running such formats we not only tackle topics that are relevant - we make them accessible to a wide public and point out solutions, giving people the hope of escaping an apparently hopeless vicious cycle.”

Television doesn’t present a falsely “hunky-dory” world, but also deals with people on the fringes of society, but without donning “consternation-tinted glasses.” Television’s role is to show all of society with its positive and negative sides, which happens e.g. on the talk or courtroom shows shown in afternoon programming. “In this sense,” said Zeiler, “I see what many feel to be pure provocation as a kind of public service, too.”

Zeiler’s fourth point was the positive effect of entertainment. “Ensuring fun and enjoyment is also part of our mandate. […] Entertainment is just as much part of a functioning media society as information and education.” However, unfortunately television entertainment often raises negative associations, while reading a book, for example, is seen as positive, nearly without exception. “Why are two different yardsticks used here?” Zeiler asked.

In order to continue fulfilling its mandate and contributing value to society, television needs to have conditions in place that allow it to do so, demanded Zeiler. He referred among other things to the dispute with the media authorities regarding the talent show Deutschland sucht den Superstar (Idol). The authorities had filed an investigation based on several remarks made by Dieter Bohlen, one of the judges on the show. “What’s next? Will miserably failed penalty kicks no longer be replayed - let alone in slow-motion, because the athlete might feel made a laughingstock?” Zeiler asked provocatively. “with all due respect for the work done by the Committee for the Protection of Minors in Media - this investigation against Deutschland sucht den Superstar is questionable. We will defend ourselves against this sort of censorship of taste - and we will do so in court.”

Zeiler also addressed the new Interstate Treaty on Broadcasting, which is getting a lot of attention in Germany: “It shifts the balance between public and commercial broadcasters - already off-kilter - even more in favour of state-owned television.” He also spoke about the various advertising restrictions imposed on television, such as “regulation that tells us - unlike the printed media - how much and when and at what intervals advertising may be shown, as if responsible, mature citizens only existed among newspaper readers but not among TV watchers.” Advertising bans, such as on tobacco advertising, also fail to achieve the desired effect, said Zeiler. Television’s function as a role model – in films, shows and series– has a much greater effect, said RTL’s CEO.

All problems, obstacles and challenges aside, Zeiler closed his speech on a conciliatory note: “In the end, it’s only TV - one of the nicer, minor matters of life!”