Journalistic investigation is perceived as more important than a decade ago, but resources are rare. Investigative journalism tends to be outsourced to special units. The number of investigations is clearly limited by financial means and focused on those topics that guarantee high attention.
Investigative and watchdog journalism is, in most cases, part of the self-conception of leading news media. Austerity measures and the economic situation of the media, however, often don’t leave enough resources for journalists to exercise it.
Journalists’ job security depends on economic situations. Once employed, journalists normally remain employed for a long time. However, fixed and long-term contracts are thinning out, and there is an increased proportion of freelancers, who then must bear the brunt of economic disruptions.
German journalists have a high level of education and a prevailing professional ethos, and resources are still sufficient in leading news media.
Transparency data on large parts of the media system is recorded and available to the public online.
Independence from powerholders is guaranteed by law and widely respected, though there was one important case of undue influence by powerholders.
No internal formal rules are in place, but newsroom meetings are a regular practice to discuss and check for pluralism.
All news media are quite cheap compared to the average income of a German household.
Large and mid-size minority groups are increasingly recognised by existing media, but, compared to the diversity of society, minority media are rather a niche-phenomenon, and only a few large and powerful minorities operate their own media.
News formats are abundantly available, and citizens can choose from a very long list of news formats in all media sectors. Popular news formats offer snackable and mobile news with special apps. News formats are of high quality, and a majority trusts them.
The Media for Democracy Monitor (MDM) is a research project from The Euromedia Research Group. This is a network of researchers that collects and exchanges information that help to describe and analyse developments in media structure and policy in Europe.
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