bq. Die Sorge eines Berliners, das ZDF werde wegen der Hochzeit des dänischen Kronprinzen am 14.05.2004 die Sendungen «heute» und «Mittagsmagazin» nicht ausstrahlen, wird vom Verwaltungsgericht Mainz nicht geteilt. Dem Mann fehle es schon am Rechtschutzbedürfnis für seinen Eilantrag, den Sender zur Ausstrahlung der beiden Sendungen zu verpflichten, entschieden die Richter (Az.: 4 L 476/04.MZ). (beck-aktuell)

Not that this would interest many of my readers – well, hardly any, but not without clout … – but both the ARD (Erstes Programm) and the ZDF (Zweites Programm) are broadcasting the Danish royal wedding on Friday.

Udo Vetter in law blog (German) reports that a man in Berlin applied to the administrative court in Mainz to have the broadcast on ZDF stopped, because the news and a midday news magazine programme will be cancelled.

The court was not having this and said the ZDF is free to programme as it wants, apart from certain limits not relevant in the present case. There is a basic right of freedom of information, but this is not a right to a particular programme.

Udo speculates as to whether a private TV station is behind this application. He says it usefully highlights the question as to why these channels still have a right to the fees (fees paid by law for the provision ‘basic information’) even though their programmes are approaching tabloid quality.

(Original source beck-aktuell, German).