ZDF director does not want to prohibit moderators from speaking gender asterisks
Thomas Bellut has been director of the ZDF since March 2012
Quelle: pa/dpa/Sebastian Gollnow
He does not see himself in a position to forbid moderators from the art breaks used by some, says ZDF director Thomas Bellut. Members of the television council had previously expressed massive displeasure with the tendency towards the spoken gender star in the program.
BIn the future, too, ZDF will not have any binding rules stipulating the participation of the so-called gender star in the moderation of programs. Director Thomas Bellut said at a meeting of the ZDF television council on Friday that he did not see himself in a position to forbid moderators to use art breaks.
Studio guests would also have their say in the gender asterisk, which the broadcaster could certainly not influence. Previously, committee members had expressed massive displeasure with the tendency towards the spoken gender star in the ZDF program and called for a “management decision” on the subject.
A controversial debate arose during the debate on the report by the Equal Opportunities Commissioner. The former Federal Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung (CDU) and other members of the television council criticized that an overwhelming majority of the population rejects the use of the gender star in the spoken language.
In the worst case, some viewers will even turn away from the ZDF program content. “Journalists shouldn’t do missionary work,” said Steffen Hörtler, who is a member of the committee as a representative of the Association of Expellees.
Bellut: “We are not forced to retire”
The representative of the German Association of Journalists (DJV), Katrin Kroemer, held against it that those responsible had to remain free to decide whether they wanted to gender during a moderation or not: “There must be no agitation against it, especially not by directors Regulation.”
Artistic director Bellut assured that the ZDF pays attention to gender equitable language, but at the same time that the “reception of our programs is not damaged”: “I can assure you that we will not be forced to counter.”
With a view to the equality report, Bellut also expressed his regret that in the Corona crisis, predominantly women had taken on childcare again when schools and kindergartens were closed. There are still too few fathers at the station who apply for parental leave.
ZDF expects a deficit of 105 million euros in 2022
For the coming year, the ZDF expects total income of 2.4 billion euros and expenses of 2.6 billion euros. Taking into account depreciation and long-term provisions, a deficit of 105 million euros remains in the financial plan, which is taken from a reserve formed for this purpose, as the broadcaster in Mainz announced. The TV Council unanimously approved the budget for 2022.
The broadcaster puts the program expenses in the coming year at 1.4 billion euros, 566 million will be attributable to personnel costs – 200 million of which will be for employee pensions. In addition, there are other expenses for administration, IT and building management, among other things. In the budget, wage increases at the broadcaster by 2.25 percent from the middle of next year are taken into account.
After the ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court and the increase in the broadcasting fee to 18.36 euros per month, the ZDF will be financed as needed until 2024, explained Artistic Director Bellut at the meeting. The ZDF will also be indispensable in the future to inform the population on a factual basis about what is happening in the country.
Bellut also warned against restricting the broadcasters’ entertainment offerings in the upcoming reform of public service broadcasting for cost reasons. “Entertainment is important,” he said. “The opposite of entertainment is boredom. And we shouldn’t bore our audiences. ”In addition, quiz shows would convey information and knowledge, and socially important topics would be addressed in television films, series and comedy formats.
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