ABSTRACT
In contrast to its largely commercial counterpart in the United States, the German broadcasting industry has long been dominated by public broadcasting corporations financed through a combination of users' fees and advertising revenues. Prior to 1981 private broadcasting was virtually unknown in the Federal Republic of Germany. The postwar developments set the stage for the gradual evolution of the German broadcasting industry as it exists today. Private broadcasters did riot arrive on the scene in postwar Germany until 1981. Upon taking over power in 1982, the Christian Democratic Union government pledged to take steps to encourage private broadcasting in Germany. In September 1985 the public broadcasting corporations entered into a so-called global contract with the top sports leagues in the Deutscher Sportbund. The introduction of private companies into the German broadcasting market was surprisingly arduous in a country otherwise quite accustomed to healthy competition.
