The Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs 2 “Our Cultural Scene Is Unique, and Our Media Report Freely and Inde- Pendently

The Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs 2 “Our cultural scene is unique, and our media report freely and inde- pendently. That is of fundamental importance for our democracy. As Chairwoman of the Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs, I am an advocate for variety in culture and the media, above all, and I wish to see as many people as possible enjoy the wide range of options available. Within the German Bundestag, the Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs is the central forum for debate on this field of policy. I am keen to ensure that this debate is conducted in a critical and constructive manner.”

Katrin Budde, SPD Chairwoman of the Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs

3 The German Bundestag’s decisions are prepared by its committees, which are established at the start of each electoral term. Four of them are stipulated by the Basic Law, the German constitution: the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Defence Committee, the Committee on the Affairs of the European Union and the Petitions Committee. The Budget Committee and the Committee for the Rules of Procedure are also required by law. The spheres of responsibility of the committees essentially reflect the Federal Government’s distribution of ministerial portfolios. This enables Parliament to scrutinise the government’s work effectively.

The Bundestag committees The German Bundestag sets political priorities of its own by establishing additional committees for specific subjects, such as sport, cultural affairs or tourism. In addition, special bodies such as parliamentary advisory councils, The committees discuss and committees of inquiry or deliberate on items referred study commissions can also to them by the plenary. They be established. The commit- also have the right to take up tees are composed of mem- issues on their own initiative, bers of all the parliamentary allowing them to set priorities groups, reflecting the balance in the parliamentary debate. of these groups in the German When necessary, they draw Bundestag. The distribution on external expertise – usu- of the chairs and deputy ally by holding public hear- chairs among the parliamen- ings. At the end of a commit- tary groups also reflects their tee’s deliberations, a majority relative strengths in the ple- of its members adopt a recom- nary. In the current electoral mendation for a decision and term, the committees have a report, which serve as the between nine and 49 mem- basis for the plenary’s deci- bers. sion.

5 The German Bundestag has had a Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs since 1998, when the Federal Govern- ment of the day, a coalition between the SPD and Alliance 90/The Greens, first appointed a Commissioner for Culture and the Media. Parliament reacted immediately and decided that a permanent committee was needed to support and scrutinise the Com- missioner’s work. Although the Basic Law, Germany’s constitution, stipu- lates that responsibility for theatres, museums and librar- ies rests primarily with Ger- many’s towns and cities, municipalities and Länder (federal states), some subjects and projects are of national importance. That is where

The Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs The Committee discusses issues such as whether the right framework is in place for artists, what should be done with the files of the the federal level comes in, GDR’s State Security Service, and thus also the Bundestag’s or what Deutsche Welle, Ger- Committee on Cultural and many’s state-funded interna- Media Affairs. In other words, tional broadcaster, needs to be when it is necessary to decide, successful in the face of inter- for example, how the federal national media competition. level should support the arts The parliamentarians look in Berlin, the German capital, into what action is needed or what should be done to to ensure that journalists can keep alive the memory of report in an independent, prominent events in German critical and informed manner, history, then Chairwoman or they discuss what condi- Katrin Budde (SPD) and the tions are needed for Germany other 17 members of the Com- to remain internationally mittee on Cultural and Media competitive as a location for Affairs have a key role to play. film productions.

6 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ CDU/CSU 4 ■ ■ ■ ■ SPD 2 ■ ■ AfD 2 ■ ■ FDP 2 ■ ■ The Left Party 2 ■ ■ Alliance 90/The Greens

Number of members: 18 Chairwoman: Katrin Budde, SPD Deputy Chairman: Johannes Selle, CDU/CSU

7 Bills or motions tabled by the parliamentary groups The agendas for the Com frequently form the basis for mittee’s meetings reflect the the Committee’s discussions. diversity of topics with which When it is designated the it deals. One meeting might lead committee for an item, focus on how remembrance it draws up a proposal for the of and knowledge about the decision that will ultimately crimes perpetrated by the be adopted by the German Nazi regime, more than seven Bundestag in plenary session. decades after the end of its In many cases, however, the reign of terror, can be passed Committee chooses topics on on to future generations. its own initiative. Scrutiny of The next meeting might in- the government’s work is very clude a debate on the concept important to the Members of for the Humboldt Forum, the German Bundestag: this is which is to move into the why members of the Federal rebuilt Berlin Palace in the Government appear regularly centre of the city. On another before the Committee to occasion, the Committee answer questions and explain might discuss the future of how decisions taken by the the press and debate what the Bundestag are being imple- digital era means for cultural mented and projects driven and media affairs. ahead.

8 The Committee’s members draw on external advice from time to time to ensure they do not overlook any crucial aspects in important debates. To this end, the Committee invites experts to attend hear- ings or consultations. In addition, the Committee often European cultural and media takes time for guests from policy is becoming ever more institutions that receive fed- important for the Committee. eral funding. At such meet- Many legal acts from Brussels ings, its members may hold affect the scope policy-makers talks with the presidents of have for action in Germany. the history museums financed Hence the attention the Com- by the federal level, or discuss mittee devotes to what is the evolution of the Berlinale happening at EU level, with- with the director of the Berlin out which it could not make International Film Festival. its influence felt.

9 rates are set at and how dis tribution chains function: all of these factors are crucial to the success of the arts and Anyone who is involved in the media. The cultural and the formulation of cultural creative economy, with bil- and media policy finds them- lions in turnover and more selves dealing with ideal and than 1.6 million workers, material values, with art for is an important sector with art’s sake and very real eco- a great deal of potential for nomic interests. Cultural and development. The Committee media policy is therefore on Cultural and Media Affairs closely entwined with other examines what action is fields, including economic needed, across ministerial policy and legal policy. News- boundaries, to allow creative papers, books, paintings and potential to flourish in this compositions are not purely area. For example, it is work- ends in themselves; they are ing towards a copyright intended to find an audience, regime centred around the sell, and secure an income for work of creative professionals, their creators. Whether fund- and supporting the Artists’ ing programmes have been Social Fund, which provides put in place for creative pro- a safety net for artists when fessionals, what levels tax they fall ill and in old age.

10 Germany has a rich cultural scene and a varied media landscape which allows the public to exercise real choice. The Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs monitors matters carefully at the national level to ensure that the arts and the media receive the support from the state which reflects their fundamental significance for democracy and society.

11 Katrin Budde, Johannes Selle, SPD CDU/CSU Chairwoman Deputy Chairman Workplace ergonomics Mathematician, specialist, b. 13 Jan. 1956 b. 13 Apr. 1965 in Lobenstein; in Magdeburg; married; married; three children. two children. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member from 1994 to 1998 since 2017 and since 2009

Committee members The 18 members of the Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs

12 Melanie Bernstein, CDU/CSU CDU/CSU spokes woman on the Committee Cultural studies specialist, Michael Frieser, Volker Kauder, b. 28 Sep. 1976 CDU/CSU CDU/CSU in Buchholz Lawyer, Lawyer, in der Nordheide; b. 30 Mar. 1964 b. 3 Sep. 1949 widowed; in Nuremberg; in Hoffenheim; two children. married. married. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2017 since 2009 since 1990

Elisabeth Motschmann, CDU/CSU CDU/CSU spokes woman on cultural and media affairs Yvonne Magwas, Former State Secretary Helge Lindh, CDU/CSU at Land level, SPD Sociologist, b. 13 Oct. 1952 Research assistant, b. 28 Nov. 1979 in Lübeck; b. 6 Dec. 1976 in Rodewisch, married; in Wuppertal; Vogtland. three children. unmarried. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2013 since 2013 since 2017

13 Martin Rabanus, SPD Dr Marc Jongen, SPD spokesman AfD on the Committee AfD spokesman Civil servant, Marianne Schieder, on the Committee b. 2 Sep. 1971 SPD Philosophy lecturer, in Fulda; Lawyer, b. 23 May 1968 married; b. 23 May 1962 in Merano, Italy; two children. in Schwarzberg. unmarried. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2013 since 2005 since 2017

Hartmut Ebbing, Thomas Hacker, Martin Erwin Renner, FDP FDP AfD Auditor, FDP spokesman Business administrator, tax adviser, on the Committee b. 5 May 1954 b. 13 May 1956 Business administrator, in Reutlingen; in Berlin; b. 9 Oct. 1967 married; unmarried; in Bayreuth; two children. three children. unmarried. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2017 since 2017 since 2017

14 Simone Barrientos, The Left Party The Left Party spokes- Brigitte Freihold, woman on the The Left Party Committee Teacher, Publisher, b. 9 Apr. 1955 b. 5 Oct. 1963 in Kaiserslautern; in Eisleben; divorced; one child. two children. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2017 since 2017

Erhard Grundl, Alliance 90/The Greens Alliance 90/The Greens Margit Stumpp, spokesman Alliance 90/The Greens on the Committee Senior teacher, Sales manager, precision engineer, b. 7 Jan. 1963 b. 13 Apr. 1963 in Mallersdorf; in Mengen; married; married; two children. two children. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2017 since 2017

15 Information online

The Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs www.bundestag.de/en/committees/a22

16 Contact details for the Committee Secretariat

Deutscher Bundestag Ausschuss für Kultur und Medien Platz der Republik 1 11011 Berlin Tel.: + 49 30 227-34006 Fax: + 49 30 227-36502 Email: [email protected]

17 Published by: German Bundestag, Public Relations Division Coordination: Robert Schönbrodt Texts: Georgia Rauer; revised by: Committees Directorate (p. 4 – 5), Secretariat of the Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs (p. 6 – 17) Edited by: Marianne Wollenweber Translated by: Language Service of the German Bundestag, in cooperation with Emma Hardie Design: Marc Mendelson Bundestag eagle: Created by Professor Ludwig Gies, revised in 2008 by büro uebele Photos: p. 2 Deutscher Bundestag (DBT) / Linus Lintner Fotografie; p. 8–9, 11 DBT / Simone M. Neumann; p. 10 DBT / Julia Nowak; p. 19 DBT / studio kohlmeier Portrait photos: p. 3, 12 DBT / Thomas Köhler / photothek (Katrin Budde); Johannes Selle / Jan Kopetzky (Johannes Selle); p. 13 Melanie Bernstein / Jan Kopetzky (Melanie Bernstein); Michael Frieser / Thomas Lother (Michael Frieser); Volker Kauder / Laurence Chaperon (Volker Kauder); Yvonne Magwas / Tobias Koch (Yvonne Magwas); DBT / Julia Nowak (Elisabeth Motschmann); DBT / Thomas Köhler / photothek (Helge Lindh); p. 14 SPD-Parteivorstand / Benno Kraehahn (Martin Rabanus); SPD-Parteivor- stand / Susie Knoll (Marianne Schieder); DBT / Achim Melde (Marc Jongen); Martin E. Renner / Siegfried Reffgen (Martin Erwin Renner); Hartmut Ebbing / Laurence Chaperon (Hartmut Ebbing); Thomas Hacker / Laszlo Riedel (Thomas Hacker); p. 15 Simone Barrientos / Aline Müller (Simone Barrien- tos); DBT / Inga Haar (Brigitte Freihold); Bündnis 90/ Die Grünen Bundestagsfraktion / Stefan Kaminski (Erhard Grundl); DBT / Inga Haar (Margit Stumpp) Graphic: p. 7 Marc Mendelson Printed by: Druckhaus Waiblingen Remstal-Bote GmbH As at: January 2019 © Deutscher Bundestag, Berlin All rights reserved. This publication has been produced as part of the German Bundestag’s public relations activities. It is provided free of charge and is not intended for sale. It may not be used for election campaign purposes or utilised by parties or parliamentary groups in their own public relations activities. 19 The German Bundestag takes decisions on what are at times highly complex and controversial bills and parliamentary initiatives relating to the entire spectrum of policy fields. The committees play a central role in parliamentary deliberations. They are the forum where the Members thrash out compromises and draw on expert advice before submitting their reports and recommendations for decisions to be voted on by the Bundestag as a whole. www.bundestag.de/en/committees