We want to offer viewers and users entertainment on all screens with the right offers at the right time, no matter where. Moreover, the content distributed by the TV stations and digital platforms also contributes to pluralism and the diversity of information and helps to shape the opinions of viewers and users. This is a great privilege but also a special responsibility for ProSiebenSat.1 Group. As a media group, our reach gives us significant social and journalistic responsibility. Considering this, we aim to continue our socio-political engagement in the future and further increase the amount of informational and public value formats. We will try to focus on issues that are particularly relevant to young people. In all our activities, we are committed to a free and democratic order, which is based in particular on the fundamental right to freedom of opinion, and observe the principles of editorial freedom and journalistic independence.
To ensure journalistic independence and comply with fundamental media regulations, the Group formulated guidelines which are binding for all of the Company’s program makers in Germany. The “Guidelines for Ensuring Journalistic Independence” specify the understanding of the journalistic principles set forth in the Press Code of the German Press Council. In accordance with internal guidelines, journalists and editors working for ProSiebenSat.1 Group must follow the International Federation of Journalists’ Principles on the Conduct of Journalists. According to these principles, they are essentially free to report as they see fit independently of social, economic or political interest groups. As a media company, political independence is of the utmost importance to us. Cash and non-cash donations to political parties are therefore forbidden unless the donation is approved by the Executive Board of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE in advance. Generally, editorial content must not be influenced by private or commercial interests of third parties or by personal or economic interests of employees. At the same time, the journalists and editors are aware of their responsibility with regard to the dissemination of information and their contribution to shaping opinions.
The joint exposé funding pot of ProSiebenSat.1 TV Deutschland and the Association of German Scriptwriters (Verband deutscher Drehbuchautoren) is entering its fifth round and is looking for dark crime and thriller formats for SAT.1 in 2019. This year's call, which ran from March 1 to May 6, 2019, concentrated on material ideas for thrillers and dark crimes, which narratively serve the genres in an enthralling and audience-attracting way while keeping an eye on the mainstream orientation of SAT.1 fiction.
In 2018, the grant, which basically supports authors' ideas to develop feature films, television films, TV and web series, concentrated on new ideas for procedural series for the SAT.1 prime-time. The fourth invitation of the exposé fund ended with more than 150 submitted ideas. Eight projects were selected for further development. The aim of the funding is to financially equip the selected authors to give them tranquility and time to develop their own ideas.
ProSiebenSat.1 TV Deutschland and the Association of German Scriptwriters have agreed in their joint remuneration rules of June 3, 2014 to set up a substance development funding of yearly EUR 150,000 until 2019. Authors receive a total budget of EUR 450,000 for content development within a three years funding period. Part of the financial support is that ProSiebenSat.1 TV Deutschland reserves the right to offer first-time access to the materials developed. If there is no script contract, the authors can offer their developed content freely on the market.
