Observed Signal · Jun 25, 2026 · Policy Proposal · Source: Meedia · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
DLM Chair Schmiege Calls for Shield for Local Journalism
Thorsten Schmiege, president of the Bavarian State Center for New Media (BLM) and current chair of the Directors' Conference of State Media Authorities (DLM), opened the Lokalmedientage in Nuremberg on June 25, 2026, urging intensified political, industry and regulator support for local media. Citing falling advertising revenues, changing media usage and rising production costs, he proposed a ‘protective shield’ adapted to the digital era. Schmiege named actions on discoverability, cooperation, innovation and new financing models, urged entrepreneurial risk-taking in media houses, and highlighted artificial intelligence as a potential accelerator for production, distribution and economic sustainability of local journalism.
A senior media regulator's public call for coordinated political and regulatory support for local journalism could influence funding, regulatory priorities and adoption of technologies (including AI) by local publishers, which affects local inventory and market dynamics for advertisers and media buyers in Germany.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Thorsten Schmiege is president of the Bavarian State Center for New Media (BLM) and chair of the Directors' Conference of State Media Authorities (DLM).
- Schmiege opened the Lokalmedientage in Nuremberg on June 25, 2026 and called for a 'Schutzschirm' (protective shield) for local journalism.
- He said the protective shield should be jointly provided by politics, the industry and media regulators and adapted to the digital media environment.
- Schmiege identified four priority fields: discoverability, cooperation, innovation and new financing models.
- He advocated using artificial intelligence to support local media in production, distribution and improving economic viability.
Connected Companies & Entities
5 Entities mapped“The article notes that Schmiege took on the additional coordination role at DLM level earlier this year, "as MEEDIA reported"....”
“The article supplies a photograph credited as: "Photo: Imago/epd."...”
“Thorsten Schmiege, president of the Bavarian State Center for New Media (BLM), said "Local journalism is not a nice-to-have but democratic i...”
Related Market Signals & Shifts
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German media regulators to oversee AI in media and advertising
Thorsten Schmiege, chairman of the Directors' Conference of the State Media Authorities (DLM), told HORIZONT in an interview that the German federal government plans to place supervision of AI systems used for journalistic and advertising purposes with the Landesmedienanstalten. Schmiege discusses the control and oversight of AI systems in media and advertising. The article is an interview published by HORIZONT on 2026-07-29 and reports the DLM's role in forthcoming regulatory responsibilities over AI in the media sector.
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