DAccording to dpa information, the Broadcasting Council of the public RBB dismissed Patricia Schlesinger as director on Monday. The broadcaster confirmed the move on Twitter on Monday evening. This formally initiates the termination of the contract.
The 61-year-old resigned about a week ago as head of the ARD broadcaster Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) because of numerous allegations of nepotism. A few days earlier she had already retired as ARD boss. The case has plunged the broadcaster into an unprecedented crisis, which is also having an impact on all public service broadcasters.
Schlesinger today denied the allegations made against her in the RBB broadcasting council. Among other things, it is about a dinner in Schlesinger’s apartment on February 12, 2022. Schlesinger had billed 1,154.87 euros for the meal as “entertainment costs”. In addition to Schlesinger and her husband, seven other guests attended the meal, including Berlin’s police chief Barbara Slowik. Slowik had explained on RBB television that she had assumed a private meeting to inaugurate the director’s new apartment.
During her appearance at the Broadcasting Council today, Schlesinger also addressed this meal and said: “I can understand that some guests found the framework of these meetings private. My wish was to bring interesting personalities together, to network with them, in order to strengthen the anchoring of rbb in society, which had not been strong before.”
At the request of the RBB research team, Schlesinger’s lawyer, Ralf Höcker, added that Slowik was invited on January 23, 2022 via WhatsApp. An explicit reason for the invitation – contrary to what Slowik said – was not given. Slowik confirmed to RBB today that she still expects an invitation to an apartment opening and thus a private meeting.
Patricia Schlesinger has been director since 2016. Her second term should have lasted until 2026. The manager and journalist faces numerous allegations of nepotism.
In addition to the 61-year-old, the focus is on RBB chief controller Wolf-Dieter Wolf, who has also resigned. Both rejected allegations. It is also about questionable orders for Schlesinger’s husband Gerhard Spörl at Messe Berlin, where Wolf was also head of the supervisory board until his resignation there. The online medium “Business Insider” got the whole case rolling at the end of June.
Prosecutor General demands RBB files
The public prosecutor’s office in Berlin is investigating against Schlesinger, against the former “Spiegel” journalist Spörl and against Wolf on suspicion of infidelity and acceptance of benefits.
The case deals with details such as controversial consulting contracts for an RBB construction project that has now been put on hold, an expensive company car for Schlesinger with massage seats, the catering of guests in their private apartment at RBB’s expense with allegedly false bills, a hefty salary increase for Schlesinger 16 percent to 303,000 euros plus a bonus system for executives, which the broadcaster has so far kept under wraps. The renovation of the executive floor with chic furniture for 1.4 million euros caused resentment, and Schlesinger’s London trip is also being questioned.
The core question is whether the station manager and the station manager Wolf could have treated each other too laxly in the event of a possible collision of professional and private interests. An external investigation by a law firm is ongoing, but the results are not yet available. They are not expected for weeks.
The public prosecutor’s office in Berlin has asked Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb) to provide documents in the Schlesinger case. This was confirmed by a spokesman for the authority on request. According to information from the RBB research team, the broadcaster is complying with this request. He has therefore secured electronic files and e-mail inboxes, access to these is logged. In addition to the directorship, the legal directorate, the administrative directorate and the committee office are also affected.
The composition of the broadcasting and administrative boards is being questioned
There have already been further personnel consequences, days ago the head of the artistic director, Verena Formen-Mohr, was released with immediate effect. Like Wolf, she is regarded as Schlesinger’s companion. The question is whether there will be further personnel changes at the top of the station. The composition of the Broadcasting Council and the Board of Directors have also been questioned in recent weeks.
Before the broadcasting council meeting, the RBB editorial committee asked the committee to do everything possible to ensure that all contracts, bonuses, performance-related salary components, premiums, business, Economic and special reports are disclosed in the station.
It was also said that the Broadcasting Council must also face up to its responsibility. The committee asked how it could be that all control mechanisms had apparently failed. After her resignation on Sunday a week ago, Schlesinger’s post was taken over by administrative director Hagen Brandstätter.