ZDF and ARD argue about fees

The German public broadcaster ZDF wants to charge GEZ fees of 17.03 euros for computers with Internet access from January 2007. The public broadcaster ARD does not approve of this plan at all. ZDF plans to equate a computer connected to the Internet with a television set - regardless of whether the computer is used to watch television. The dispute is currently before legal commissions, writes Pressetext. ARD is expecting protests against the broadcasting system. It only wants to charge the radio fees, as the broadcaster only offers a few news programs on the network. Experts describe the situation as delicate. The problem is that television and radio have so far been consumed mainly via traditional channels. In addition, a rigid approach could result in one person incurring several fees if they use the boarding school for private and professional purposes.