Broadcasting Commission
Dreyer: RBB crisis harms public broadcasting
Malu Dreyer is Chair of the Broadcasting Commission. There, the countries exchange information on questions of media policy. photo
© Andreas Arnold/dpa
Malu Dreyer, who as Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate also chairs the Broadcasting Commission, is disappointed with the Schlesinger cause. Trust had been lost.
The chairwoman of the broadcasting commission of the federal states, Malu Dreyer, sees public broadcasting damaged by the RBB crisis surrounding the director Patricia Schlesinger, who has since been recalled. “What has come to light in the last few days about the events at RBB – unfortunately only in bits and pieces – damages public broadcasting as a whole,” said the SPD politician at the German Press Agency in Mainz. “A lot of trust was lost here.”
However, Dreyer warned against a blanket condemnation of the entire system “due to possible misconduct by individuals”. “Public service broadcasting is and will remain a central pillar of our dual media system and of great importance for the functioning of our democracy.”
As Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Dreyer traditionally chairs the Broadcasting Commission. In the body, the countries exchange information on media policy issues. According to the Basic Law, this is the task of the federal states.
Comprehensive processing required
“We need three specific things now,” Dreyer demanded. “Firstly, the allegations against the RBB in the institution itself – and this together with the bodies there – must be comprehensively examined and processed.” Secondly, uniform transparency and compliance rules are necessary in public service broadcasting. “Here some institutions are more advanced than others.” Thirdly, the committees must be strengthened quickly.
The country leaders had already decided this in June with the reform state treaty. This should be signed in October. “This new media state treaty ensures more control, uniformity and comparability,” emphasized Dreyer. He expands the powers of the committees, demands common standards and guidelines from the institutions and expressly anchors a continuous dialogue with the public.