Broadcasting country coordinator calls on RBB to clarify bonus payments
“The Broadcasting Council has decided to dismiss Patricia Schlesinger with immediate effect”
The RBB Broadcasting Council has decided to immediately recall its resigned director, Patricia Schlesinger. This formally initiates the termination of the contract. This was announced by the chairwoman of the committee, Friederike von Kirchbach, in a statement.
Heike Raab, the most important media politician in the Federal Republic, puts pressure on the RBB. The public broadcaster is to clarify controversial bonus payments in the Schlesinger case. The RBB boss comes to the state parliament on Tuesday.
Dhe coordinator of the state broadcasting commission, Heike Raab, calls on Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) to clarify controversial bonus payments on the Schlesinger case. The Rhineland-Palatinate State Secretary for Media, who is the most important media politician in the Federal Republic, told the German Press Agency: “The RBB and its committees must completely clarify all allegations and points of criticism, for example awards and bonus payments. All in all, we need more control, uniformity and comparability in terms of transparency and compliance.” Raab added: “Because there was great damage beyond the RBB.”
The director Patricia Schlesinger, who has since been recalled and who also resigned from the ARD chairmanship, has been accused of nepotism since the end of June. Among other things, it is about a strong salary increase of 16 percent to 303,000 euros and a bonus system that the public ARD broadcaster has so far kept under wraps. The allegations that have not yet been clarified also include a luxurious company car, controversial consultancy contracts for an RBB construction project, and the catering of guests in the private apartment at RBB’s expense. Schlesinger denied the allegations. The Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating, and an independent external investigation is also underway.
Media policy in Germany is a matter for the federal states. The Broadcasting Commission of the federal states sets the important course, such as reforms in public service broadcasting.
Raab said: “I advocate that quality media – public and private – have good framework conditions. But if, like public service broadcasting, you’re financed by subscriptions, you have to be even more transparent and make it clear what you’re spending the money on. I am immensely disappointed with what is now coming to light bit by bit.”
Problems only with rbb?
The country coordinator added: “According to the current information, I assume that the problems are concentrated on this one ARD institution.” Especially when it comes to compliance and transparency, other institutions are more exemplary in their statutes and internal regulations. In paragraph 31 of the new media state treaty, more committee powers, common standards, guidelines, reporting obligations and public dialogue are to be anchored. This is another step to strengthen the bodies. “We need active bodies that carry out their control tasks.”
Three things are important: firstly, working through the allegations, secondly, uniform transparency and compliance rules in public service broadcasting, and thirdly, strengthening the bodies with the amendment to the State Media Treaty. Hopefully this will come into force next year, Raab added.
RBB boss comes to the state parliament
After the dismissal of Patricia Schlesinger as director of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB), the managing director of the station, Hagen Brandstätter, will come to the Brandenburg state parliament on Tuesday (10:00 a.m.). The ARD broadcaster is in a deep crisis because of the scandal surrounding nepotism.
In July, Schlesinger turned down an invitation to the state parliament – with a view to the ongoing external investigation of a law firm. Because she then gave interviews, there was great outrage.
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