ARD and ZDF media libraries no longer on Joyn

The media libraries of ARD and ZDF are no longer available on Joyn. Direct links to the public broadcasters' offerings on ProSiebenSat.1's streaming service lead nowhere. This is apparently the media company's response to massive criticism from ARD and ZDF, who did not agree at all with the integration of their content into Joyn.

"Joyn and the public broadcasters are entering into concrete talks about future cooperation," ProSiebenSat.1 told the media magazine DWDL. "In the course of this, Joyn is switching off the preliminary beta testing on the streaming platform. Even though we are convinced that we have the legal basis for this –, we are more concerned with living the spirit of genuine cooperation and implementing it together." ProSiebenSat.1 had previously argued that embedding the media libraries was legally permissible according to the case law of the European Court of Justice.

"Modern robber barony"

In February, ProSiebenSat.1 had surprisingly included the complete media libraries of ARD and ZDF in its streaming service Joyn. The content of the public broadcasters could then be accessed on Joyn without restriction, and a subscription was not necessary. ProSiebenSat.1 had spoken of a "content cooperation" in the test phase.

However, this procedure was apparently not agreed with the public broadcasters. According to ARD and ZDF, no test phase had been agreed with ProSiebenSat.1 that provided for the embedding of the media libraries. ProSiebenSat.1's approach was "legally inadmissible and not in line with the public service mandate."

ARD Chairman Florian Hager had clear words, describing ProSiebenSat.1's actions as "modern robber baronry". "This is a new form of piracy that I could not have imagined," said Hager. The media libraries of ARD and ZDF are not a self-service store.

(dahe)