Case Study: German city Darmstadt

Organization

Darmstadt, known as the “City of Science,” is a hub for science, technology, and culture in southern Hesse. It hosts the Technical University of Darmstadt and numerous research institutions, making it a significant innovation center. The city is also renowned for its vibrant arts scene and historic sites like the Mathildenhöhe. The city administration leverages advanced technologies to promote citizen participation and make political processes more accessible.

Challenge

Darmstadt needed to make its municipal political processes more transparent and accessible to the public, particularly for those who couldn't attend the meetings due to time, physical, or other constraints. The challenge was to find a technically reliable and GDPR-compliant solution that would allow citizens to follow political discussions and decisions in real-time or on-demand without requiring significant technical or personnel resources for live streaming. A key focus was ensuring accessibility for hearing-impaired citizens through comprehensive subtitling.

Solution

The city chose VIDEO.TAXI, a platform developed by TV1 GmbH, designed specifically for live streaming events. This platform allows for fully remote production of livestreams, eliminating the need for VIDEO.TAXI personnel to be on-site, significantly reducing costs and organizational effort. The city can use existing camera and audio equipment in their meeting rooms, sending the signals directly to VIDEO.TAXI’s servers for public broadcast. The platform not only handles live streaming but also the post-production and storage of recordings, ensuring data privacy. Special attention was given to implementing subtitles to ensure accessibility for hearing-impaired individuals.

Result

Implementing live streaming led to a significant increase in participation in city council meetings, resulting in a better understanding of municipal decision-making processes. City council sessions are now accessible to all citizens at any time and from any location. The digital public sphere and the subsequent availability of streams allow citizens to engage with the content at their convenience, promoting continuous civic participation. This technological improvement has fundamentally changed how municipal politics are experienced, fostering a more transparent and inclusive local government.