Wolfram Weimer, German Minister of State for Culture, oversees government media affairs. He expressed concern that MediaforEurope's planned takeover of more than 50% of ProSiebenSat.1 could threaten media diversity in Germany. MediaforEurope is led by Pier Silvio Berlusconi; the Berlusconi family, via Fininvest, controls a large share of Italy's television and advertising market. Weimer invited Pier Silvio Berlusconi to the German chancellery to clarify potential political influence, preservation of journalistic quality and independence, and implications for Germany as a television hub. Both agreed editorial independence must not be compromised. Berlusconi committed to strengthen Munich operations and to increase localized German content, including more news, entertainment and TV series while reducing acquired formats over time.
"We need to know what kind of political influence, the new foreign owners will exert,"
"How will journalistic quality and independence be preserved? What does this mean for Germany as a television hub? These questions are highly relevant to the preservation of media freedom in Germany. That's why I'm taking care of it."
"Editorial independence is of central importance it must not be compromised. We are in agreement on this point, and this is a good prerequisite for a successful undertaking in the German media market."
"We want to produce and offer more localized content tailored to the German audience: more news, more entertainment shows, and more TV series and over time, fewer acquired formats,"
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