The German public broadcasters have plans to launch an online video service in 2012, partnering with several German movie and TV production companies, according to German newspaper Handelsblatt citing ZDF director Markus Schaechter. The commercial service is currently being developed under the project name Germany's Gold and users will have to pay for the videos or watch them with advertising. The plan is controversial as the broadcasters are publicly funded, despite the fact that the project is set up by the commercial subsidiaries of the broadcasters. The project is likely to face an investigation and possible no from the German federal cartel office. The announcement follows the decision of the cartel office earlier this month to forbid a similar online video platform planned by Germany's two largest commercial broadcasters RTL Deutschland and the ProsiebenSat.1 Group.
