Germany Plans To Boost Funding Of Deutsche Welle Broadcaster By $17Mln Annually - Gov't

The German government announced on Wednesday its plans to increase funding for the Deutsche Welle broadcaster by 15 million euros ($17 million) to 365 million euros annually starting next year

BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th March, 2019) The German government announced on Wednesday its plans to increase funding for the Deutsche Welle broadcaster by 15 million Euros ($17 million) to 365 million euros annually starting next year.

"The federal government wants to increase the federal subsidy to Deutsche Welle by 15 million euros to a total of 365 million euros annually. This is the Federal Government's landmark decision ... on the government draft of the federal budget 2020," the government said in a statement.

Despite the low budget maneuverability, the German government plans to further strengthen Deutsche Welle, Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media Monika Gruetters said, commenting on the increase in funding.

"After a significant increase in previous years, this will be another big step in the implementation of the coalition agreement clauses, according to which the budget of Deutsche Welle should be brought to the level of similar European broadcasters abroad," Gruetters said.

She added that an increase in Deutsche Welle funding was also necessary "due to threat to media and free speech across the world."

The report also indicated that as early as in 2013, the budget of the broadcaster was 277 million euros. The final decision on the budget and its articles is up to the German parliament, the Bundestag.