Media Law

Information and communication in the media, on the internet, in the press and broadcasting

Media law regulates the use of information and communication, and the depiction of persons and businesses in all offline and online media.

Depending on its specific content, media law is found in various legal fields, which is why it is not one homogenous legal field. This means, it covers different legal fields such as trademark and copyright or the law on rights protecting domains and names, in addition to the internet, press and broadcasting law.

The law governing the press is defined specifically in the media laws of the respective federal states.  They set forth, among other things, the requirements to be met by the press can be found, for example, the duties of care of publicists or the right of counter-description. Radio and television are regulated under the broadcasting law. The Interstate Broadcasting Treaty (“Rundfunkstaatsvertrag”, RStV) meanwhile regulates the broadcasters of public-law and private broadcasters. Definitions of the internet law can be found in the Telemedia Act (“Telemediengesetz”, TMG). It includes, for example, requirements for the legal notice/imprint and respectively the duty to publish an imprint, data protection, regulations on the fight against spam and liability of operators for illegal contents in telemedia services. Telemedia are electronic information and communication services, which cover nearly all offers on the internet (for example, webshops, search engines, online auction sites, webmail services, information services, podcasts, chatrooms, dating communities, web portals as well as private websites and blogs).

Our expertise

We protect our clients’ rights in all parts of the media law and ensure that the media adhere to the duties applicable to them, and also react accordingly and that they are held accountable in the event of rights violations. We are furthermore assigned with ensuring that the use and representation of information and communication conforms to our clients’ interests.

Our work covers the following areas, in particular:

• Regulation of telemedia with journalistic editorial contents and for the protection of children and youths (Law on the Protection of Youths in the Media (Jugendmedienschutzgesetz)).
• Copyright, proprietary rights, licenses, right to one’s own image (Kunsturheberrechtsgesetz [Art Copyright Act], “KUG”), etc.
• Law on rights protecting domains and the use of names.
• Legally compliant appearance in social media.
• Data protection in the media.

We will also be happy to be at your side as a partner in all matters of media law. If you are facing related legal questions, you are welcome to contact us.