08 Overcoming the Barrier

Abstract

Helmut Thoma, former Chairman of RTL Television, says that the situation that existed in Germany as regards satellite transmission was controversial from the very start. “The Social Democrats who governed in coalition with the Liberal Party FDP until 1983 were strong proponents of public broadcasting, whereas the Conservatives on the opposition regarded themselves as subject to discrimination by the public broadcasters. There was the famous term ‘Schweigespirale’ (a spiral of silence) that was coined by Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann. The political battle lines were fairly clear. In France, ironically, the situation was exactly the reverse: The Conservatives were in power, and the Socialists under Francois Mitterrand were in favour of opening the system to private broadcasters and even helping to create some broadcasting stations.”