Safeguarding plurality, advocating for user protection, promoting Bavaria as a location for media business – these are the main goals of the Bavarian Regulatory Authority for New Media (Bayerische Landeszentrale für neue Medien, or BLM) in the digital world.
BLM is responsible for the oversight and organization of all commercial radio and television programming in Bavaria as well as all websites domiciled in Bavaria, known as telemedia. All media platforms, user interfaces and media intermediaries such as Prime Video, Twitch, Twitter and Yahoo are also subject to the oversight of BLM. And as of April 2022, BLM also has the duty to enforce violations of the obligation to publish legal notices (Impressumpflicht) as provided in the German Interstate Treaty on Media (Medienstaatsvertrag, or MStV) and the German Telemedia Act (Telemediengesetz, or TMG).
Among the 14 state media authorities in Germany, the BLM has a special status: under the Constitution of the Free State of Bavaria, BLM is also the official broadcaster of all Bavarian radio programs.
The Bavarian Media Act (Bayerisches Mediengesetz, or BayMG) outlines the duties of the BLM which, in addition to organizing, promoting, distributing and supervising programming, include promoting innovation and the Bavaria-based media industry. Initiatives to promote media literacy and education as well as commissioning research projects are also among the key duties of the authority. And last but not least, BLM is the key point of contact for citizens, providers and institutions on all issues relating to the protection of minors in broadcasting and telemedia.
The BLM acts as a key resource on all media issues for concerned citizens.