How can broadcasting freedom be preserved when public service broadcasting is increasingly being criticized – up to and including court proceedings? The 22nd Frankfurt Media Law Days on Wednesday, January 14 and Thursday, January 15, 2026 at the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) will address this key question. The two-day conference is entitled "Public service broadcasting in court – ways to preserve broadcasting freedom".
On the first day of the conference, several discussion rounds will focus on the frequently lamented deficits of public service broadcasting – from the narrowed journalistic spectrum to due diligence using the example of anti-Semitism. The starting points for the discussions are the recommendations of the Broadcasting Commission's Future Council and the decision of the Federal Administrative Court of October 15, 2025 on the legality of the broadcasting contribution.
On the second day of the conference, the focus will be on best practice examples from Southeast Europe and on regulatory perspectives that can contribute to a return to the constitutional mandate of public service broadcasting.
Program
The Media Law Days will open on January 14 at 10:00 a.m. in the Senate Hall of the main building of the European University Viadrina (Große Scharrnstraße 59) with greetings from the President of the Viadrina, Prof. Dr. Eduard Mühle, and Prof. Dr. Johannes Weberling, media law expert and honorary professor at the Viadrina. The topic will be introduced by Prof. Dr. Peter M. Huber, former Federal Constitutional Judge, and Claus Liesegang, editor-in-chief of the Märkische Oderzeitung, will introduce the topic.
For the detailed program (PDF)
People
The contributors to the conference include renowned voices from academia, politics and journalism: Prof. Dr. Stephan Russ-Mohl, media scientist and long-time observer of European journalism, Prof. Dr. Christian von Coelln, constitutional law expert at the University of Cologne, Prof. Dr. Mark Eisenegger, Director of the Research Center for the Public Sphere and Society at the University of Zurich, and Prof. Dr. Marcus Maurer, communication scientist at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. With Marína Urbániková from Masaryk University Brno and Hyrie Mehmeti, Southeast European University Pristina/Tetovo/Skopje, perspectives from Southeast Europe will also be included. Prof. Dr. Johanna Wanka, former Federal Minister of Education and Research, will add the political dimension. Peter Rothenbühler, long-time editor-in-chief of SonntagsBlick and Le Matin, will contribute journalistic practice.
When and where?
Wednesday, January 14 and Thursday, January 15, 2026
European University Viadrina
Senatssaal, Große Scharrnstraße 59
15230 Frankfurt (Oder)
Registration
The event is open to the public. Interested parties and media representatives are cordially invited to take part in the conference or selected panels. Registration is required by Monday evening, January 12. To the registration PDF
The Frankfurt Media Law Days are organized by the Study and Research Focus Media Law of the Faculty of Law of the European University Viadrina in cooperation with the Southeast Europe Society and with the kind support of the Media Program Southeast Europe of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Märkische Oderzeitung.