The Rundfunkbeitrag is a broadcasting fee in Germany used to fund public broadcasting services, including television, radio, and online content provided by ARD, ZDF, and Deutschlandradio. It's a license fee that is generally mandatory per household, regardless of actual usage of the service, ensuring that public broadcasting remains independent from commercial influences and freely accessible to the population. The fee covers a variety of features, such as access to a wide array of programming in areas like news, culture, entertainment, and education across multiple media platforms.