What progress has been made in recent years when it comes to greater diversity in the media—and where do gaps still exist between intention and lived reality? This central question was the focus of the event “Diversity: Between Aspiration and Reality,” at which the “Media for Diversity” Alliance brought together representatives from the media, academia, politics, and civil society in Berlin on May 21, 2026. The alliance also includes RTL Deutschland, Sky Deutschland, and RTL Zwei.
Strong voices for diversity are still needed
In a joint statement, the media companies represented in the “Media for Diversity” alliance expressly affirmed their responsibility to sustainably strengthen diversity in society and the media. In recent years, significant progress has been made, and diversity has been more firmly anchored in structures and content. At the same time, the partners emphasized that, especially in socially and economically challenging times, diversity must not be lost sight of. Strong voices for diversity are still needed to provide guidance and promote social cohesion. The media companies are aware of this responsibility and will continue to actively fulfill it in the future.
In his welcoming remarks, Jürgen Dusel, Federal Government Commissioner for Matters relating to Disabled Persons, emphasized the importance of inclusion as a cornerstone of our democracy. He underscored the need to approach diversity strategies from multiple angles and to consistently break down structural barriers. According to Dusel, the media play an important role in this regard. Cornelia Holsten, Director of the Bremen State Media Authority, reviewed the alliance’s activities to date and placed the event’s key questions in the context of current social and political developments.
Diversity as a Strategic Success Factor in Media Companies
In the keynote speeches and subsequent panel discussions, it became clear that diversity, in its various dimensions, is increasingly understood as a strategic success factor in media companies. The concluding panel discussion focused on the perspectives of the media companies themselves: Stefanie Rupp-Menedetter (ProSiebenSat.1), Claus Grewenig (RTL Deutschland), Thomas Dauser (SWR/ARD), Barbara Massing (Deutsche Welle), Jona Teichmann (Deutschlandradio), and Konstanze Beyer (RTL Zwei) discussed the status quo and the further development of diversity efforts within their organizations. Representatives from other media providers contributed additional perspectives. The discussion centered on the questions of which measures are currently being implemented, how progress made in recent years can be assessed, and what structural changes are necessary to sustainably embed diversity—both internally and in programming. The discussion also addressed how the gap between stated goals and actual practice can be further bridged. The discussions made it clear that significant progress has already been made in many areas—yet the task of structurally ensuring diversity, independent of individual initiatives, remains a central challenge.
The alliance was founded in 2020 at the initiative of the Bremen State Media Authority. Founding members include ARD, ZDF, Deutsche Welle, Deutschlandradio, RTL Deutschland, and ProSiebenSat.1 Media. Other partners are Bavaria Film, Netflix, Vaunet, Sky Deutschland, RTL Zwei, and the FFN Media Group. The goal is to promote diversity both internally and externally and to learn from one another.
