From audio advertising to broadcasting reform, AI in the film business, and the future of PR: Every year, media players come together at the Central Germany Media Days to network and discuss the industry's topics and trends.

And these are the topics of this year:

AI Home Alone? - Artificial Intelligence in Film Production

Whether in scriptwriting or post-production: AI technologies are playing an increasingly large role in the film industry. What consequences does this have for directors, actors, and other creative professionals?

According to Prof. Dr. Lena Gieseke of the Babelsberg Film University, fear and over-exertion are the wrong approach when it comes to AI and the creative industry. "It's a tool; we are not at its mercy, and we must actively work together on it." Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that people in the film industry will also lose their jobs as a result.

Director Franziska Pohlmann is also certain: "If we want to continue working in these creative industries, our content will continue to feed these machines and be part of them." This is precisely why responsible participation is important. At the same time, the German Directors' Association is working with lawyers to clarify issues related to the protection of copyright performance and the assertion of claims. Sven Bliedung von der Heide, CEO of Volucap, recommends that filmmakers, especially those working in the acting field, address legal issues and contracts now in order to participate in a world with AI.

DRIVE beta GmbH CEO and Executive Producer Hannes Jakobsen described himself as an "AI enthusiast" in the talk, but also believes it's important to ask ourselves: "Which skills are we willing to say: We might no longer need them, and which ones?" He believes it could become a structural problem for humanity if we forget how to think in a structured way, read a long text, or develop ideas through writing and speaking. His recommendation is therefore, for example, to write an initial draft of the text yourself and ask the AI ​​for feedback, rather than the other way around.

Nothing new in the East? East Germany in the media

The topic of "Media & East Germany" played a role in several panels. Representatives from various media companies and federal states discussed which constructive approaches for balanced and fair reporting in editorial offices would be desirable or are already being implemented in this regard. According to Christin Bohmann, Editor-in-Chief at MDR, the broadcaster uses various methods to specifically incorporate the opinions and topics of the population in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia into its reporting, such as the "MDRfragt" opinion barometer. An average of 25,000 to 30,000 people participate in regular online short surveys on current topics. Heiko Paluschka, Head of the ProSiebenSat.1 Capital Office, advocated for more diverse editorial staffing – including with regard to West and East Germans.

Maria Fiedler, deputy head of Der SPIEGEL's capital bureau, sees the collaboration with colleagues who live in the East as "the greatest benefit in this field, because you don't have that helicopter thing—you just come and stay for one to three days, or even a week, and then try to develop a network—but the people are simply already there." When it comes to dealing with stereotypical thinking, the journalist sees many levers for adjustment. It is important, she says, to always approach topics with curiosity rather than bias, to share East German success stories, and to pay attention to differentiation. For example, the focus in Görlitz is different than in Suhl.

Media Makeover - What will the broadcasting reform bring in 2025?

Just this week, the ARD celebrated its 75th anniversary. The independent, non-governmental public broadcaster, which at the time had a license fee of two Deutschmarks, is now facing strong criticism, especially in eastern Germany.

The Interstate Reform Treaty, which comes into force on December 1, 2025, presents new challenges for ARD, ZDF, and Deutschlandradio. The Interstate Reform Treaty is intended to make public broadcasting more modern and digital. Journalism professor Prof. Dr. Annika Sehl sees the greatest difficulty for ARD and ZDF in the future as being the possibility of merging or even eliminating programs. The basket model proposed by media policymakers, which primarily affects thematic channels and divides broadcast content into three areas (information, education, documentary/young programs/culture), where a certain number of formats are to be eliminated or merged, presents additional complications. According to Sehl, there must be a high level of cooperation between the broadcasters so that the reform can take place in the best possible way. Dr. Norbet Himmler, Director-General of ZDF, and Ralf Ludwig, Director-General of MDR, repeatedly advocated in their panel for public broadcasting as the fourth pillar of democracy and thus for safeguarding an information medium independent of the state. In this regard, the discussion addressed, among other things, the constitutional complaint in Karlsruhe and the associated inadequate funding. According to Ludwig, the reduction in funding requirements by approximately two-thirds will significantly complicate the implementation of public broadcasting's mandate.

How can the transformation to a digital newspaper be successful?

Day 2 focused on the topic of local journalism and the question "How can the transformation to a digital newspaper be successful?" Christian Tretbar, Editor-in-Chief of the Tagesspiegel, highlighted the driving aspect of the print issue as the issue of newspaper delivery, which is often less discussed in public discourse and is becoming increasingly expensive and unprofitable. Another challenge is the gap between young editors and an older readership, each with different backgrounds and experience horizons.

Therefore, Hannah Suppa, Editor-in-Chief of the Leipziger Volkszeitung, sees the greatest challenge for newspaper editorial teams not in digital transformation, but in content: "What does journalism have to achieve to resonate with readers?" This includes going into depth, highlighting developments, and explaining connections.

Specifically, the LVZ editorial team has abolished traditional departments and now works in topic teams with experts. Newsletters and story podcasts have also proven very successful in generating new digital subscriptions. Reporters have also been specifically reassigned to booming regions around Leipzig, which is also reflected positively in the figures.

Level Up or Game Over? The German Games Industry Under Pressure

Many positive developments, but also new potential, were revealed at the talk on the situation of the Central German games industry entitled "Level Up or Game Over?" According to Friedrich Lüder, Chairman of the Board of Games & XR Mitteldeutschland e.V., Central Germany is essentially "a paradise for the German games industry." He notes that the region boasts a sustainable funding and startup landscape, universities with appropriate programs, and excellent opportunities to implement new ideas. André Naumann, Managing Director of the Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM), sees considerable potential, especially for Thuringia as a children's media region, to expand this to include games, apps, and the like: "That would be quite desirable and in our interest." Tom Potutschek, COO & Co-Founder of Gecko Two GmbH/R42, encouraged young graduates who want to get started in the games sector to pursue this. "Stable funding combined with favorable location conditions also attract external capital, and I believe that must be the path forward in the medium term so that this industry can also thrive on its own."

In the Web of Power: How Social Media Shapes the Election Campaign

What role did (social) media play in the federal election campaign? For Raphael Brinkert, CEO of Creatives and founder of the values ​​agency Brinkert Lück, one thing is clear: "This election may have been the last at the national level not decided by social media." He emphasized the importance of a legal framework and stronger media education, on the one hand, and credible storytelling that doesn't rely solely on clickbait, on the other.

Carolin Ollivier, editor-in-chief of ARTE Journal, commented on the role of traditional media in this context. He stated that they must now reposition themselves and develop their own formats to set different accents in the polemical political discourse on social media and address the big questions of young people. "Traditional media is still the largest source of information – we must utilize this and also present ourselves with some self-confidence."

Political content creator León Eberhardt (Politik neugedacht) sees an on-demand attitude among the younger generation, which also extends to politics. The target group expects concrete answers quickly – and often finds them on TikTok, where the distinction between fact and opinion quickly becomes blurred. "Especially in places where people feel left behind, I'm missing an answer from the democratic mainstream as to how to win back young people," says León Eberhardt. According to him, this target group needs more offerings with which they can identify, "especially in eastern Germany."

The CEO and founder of the collective People on the Hill GmbH, Bendix Hügelmann, sees media literacy and knowledge of algorithms as crucial for responsible media use – and thus also for safeguarding democratic discourse. "I see a great need for catching up and also for education in this area."

#mtm25 is a two-day networking event in Leipzig. Every year, speakers from the fields of film & television, journalism, marketing, development, digital, media policy, and gaming discuss the pressing issues facing the media industry, explore new perspectives, and gain and provide inspiration. The event is organized by the Media Authority of Saxony-Anhalt, the Saxon State Media Authority, the Thuringian State Media Authority, the City of Leipzig, the Saxon State Chancellery, Central German Broadcasting, the Central German Media Fund, MDR Media GmbH, the FUNKE Media Group, ARTE, ZDF, and Saxonia Media.