Rundfunkanstalten im Internet

From the publishing and other private media companies’ point of view, public service broadcasting has an unfair competitive advantage due to being subsidized. Hence, private media companies have a great interest in enforcing the legal regulations and boundaries targeting public service broadcasting and its online activities. Private media companies increasingly depend on the internet as a medium and a source of revenue.
This study examines the possibilities of private enforcement with regard to the German regulations for the public service broadcasting’s online activities. It describes the public service broadcasting’s competitive situation in the internet and drafts the basics of private enforcement in German Law. The main focus is on verifying the applicability of the German injunctive relief of public law and unfair competition law.