RBB staff wants to set up their own commission for clarification
Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) is part of the ARD broadcasting association
Source: dpa/Monika Skolimowska
What went wrong in the executive floor of the RBB? The employees of the station now want to take care of the investigation themselves and set up a commission. They also demand a say in who will run the house in the future.
In the RBB crisis surrounding allegations of nepotism against the director Patricia Schlesinger, who was fired without notice, station employees want to set up their own commission to clarify the matter. A resolution posted on the company’s intranet said that the employees would nominate personalities from among the workforce and from outside in the next few days.
They should therefore independently clarify “how the grievances in management could be tolerated over such a long period of time, how, despite all noble corporate goals, a corporate culture was able to thrive in which even obvious misconduct and questionable management decisions could be accepted.” report to the staff. The Commission should also draw up recommendations on how similar events can be prevented in the future.
In addition, employees of the ARD broadcaster Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) demand a say in the resolution when naming an interim leader and a future director. This should also be recorded in the RBB state contract.
An interim director is currently being sought. Official names are not known. Administrative director Hagen Brandstätter is currently running the business, who has also been criticized for dealing with the crisis surrounding allegations of nepotism against Schlesinger. Because Brandstäter is on sick leave, the longest-serving director – that’s program director Jan Schulte-Kellinghaus – has taken over the business. The RBB editorial committee had called for the resignation of the entire management a few days ago.
Schlesinger has been exposed to numerous allegations since the end of June, mainly through reports from the online medium “Business Insider”. She has been ARD chairwoman since the beginning of the year and RBB director since 2016. She resigned from both positions.
In addition to Schlesinger, the focus of the scandal is also the resigned RBB chairman of the board of directors, Wolf-Dieter Wolf. Both rejected the allegations against them. Among other things, it is about controversial consulting contracts for an RBB construction project, about agreements between the two on salary and bonuses for Schlesinger. And it’s about orders for her husband, the ex-“Spiegel” journalist Gerhard Spörl, at Messe Berlin – where Wolf was also chief supervisor until recently.
Patricia Schlesinger is dismissed without notice
The recalled director of the RBB, Patricia Schlesinger, is dismissed without notice and receives no severance pay. Now an interim director is to be appointed for the RBB management and help to lead the broadcaster out of the crisis.
Source: WELT/ Laura Kipfelsberger