Dhe Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) is setting up a savings program. By the end of the current fee period, i.e. by the end of 2024, the budget is to be reduced by 49 million euros and 100 jobs will be cut. This was announced by RBB interim director Katrin Vernau on Wednesday.
The broadcaster is “repositioning itself for the future,” it said. “In a joint effort of all directorates and main departments” it was possible to adjust the expenses to the income again. This was necessary because of the “mismanagement of the past few years”. Part of this mismanagement under the aegis of director Patricia Schlesinger, who was fired without notice, was that additional income from the broadcasting fee, which should have been set aside according to the KEF fee commission, was put into the current budget. Therefore, the RBB now has to take 41 million euros out of its planning. In addition, there would be eight million euros that were already planned as savings for 2023 and 2024, “but were not supported by measures”. RBB most recently (in 2021) received 436 million euros from the broadcasting contribution.
“A feat of strength, but urgently needed”
“This course correction is a tour de force, but urgently needed,” said interim director Vernau. “Without our decisive action in the current contribution period, we would be looking into a financial abyss by the end of 2024 at the latest. The ability to pay would no longer be easily ensured.” Vernau had already announced the cancellations last November. They affect all areas of the station. The program management will have to spend 21 million euros less, the production and operations management will reduce their budgets by seven million in 2023 and 2024, the administrative management and building management will make a savings contribution of around 10 million euros, and the costs for personnel and organization are to be reduced by almost 11 million euros by the end of 2024 sink.
The RBB has been shaken by a felt scandal since last summer. The Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the former director Schlesinger and the former head of the board of directors Wolf-Dieter Wolf for accepting advantages, the two deny the allegations. The management of the RBB has now been completely replaced.