By Siobhan O’Leary

A new initiative backed by the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels was announced earlier this month in Berlin, the goal of which is to provide stronger representation for the creative industries in politics and beyond. The Deutsche Content Allianz was outlined in a joint declaration to the public and calls for a fair business environment for these industries and for more effective protection of content.

Alexander Skipis, CEO of the Börsenverein, told the Börsenblatt, “The Web is nothing without content. Thus the value of content and its protection need to receive greater political attention.”

Members of the new alliance include the Börsenverein, German public and private broadcasters, the national film and television associations, as well as the Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs- und mechanische Vervielfältigungsrechte (GEMA) — the German music copyright society.

Key points of the statement call for policy and legislation to reflect the cultural, economic and social significance of media content and its role as an essential part of the cultural and creative economy; adequate economic and regulatory conditions for the creative industries; effective protection of content on the Internet; and competitive and non-discriminatory access to the Internet.

Read the full text of the declaration.