Cause Schlesinger
Broadcasting country coordinator demands clarification from RBB
Heike Raab is the State Secretary for Media in Rhineland-Palatinate. photo
© Jan Woitas/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
The country coordinator of the Broadcasting Commission would like uniform transparency and compliance rules. The Schlesinger cause caused great damage “beyond the RBB”.
The coordinator of the state broadcasting commission, Heike Raab, calls on Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) to clarify controversial bonus payments on the Schlesinger cause.
The Rhineland-Palatinate State Secretary for Media, who is the most important media politician in the Federal Republic, told the German Press Agency: “The RBB and its committees must completely clarify all allegations and points of criticism, for example awards and bonus payments. Overall, we need more control, uniformity and comparability in transparency and compliance.” Raab added: “Because there was great damage beyond the RBB.”
The director Patricia Schlesinger, who has since been recalled and who also resigned from the ARD chairmanship, has been accused of nepotism since the end of June. Among other things, it is about a strong salary increase of 16 percent to 303,000 euros and a bonus system that the public ARD broadcaster has so far kept under wraps. The allegations that have not yet been clarified also include a luxurious company car, controversial consultancy contracts for an RBB construction project, and the catering of guests in the private apartment at RBB’s expense. Schlesinger denied the allegations. The Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating, and an independent external investigation is also underway.
Media policy in Germany is a matter for the federal states. The Broadcasting Commission of the federal states sets the important course, such as reforms in public broadcasting.
“I’m extremely disappointed”
Raab said: “I advocate that quality media – both public and private – have good framework conditions. But if, like public broadcasting, you are financed by contributions, you have to maintain transparency to an even greater extent and make it clear what you are doing it for spends money. I am extremely disappointed with what is now coming to light bit by bit.”
The country coordinator added: “According to the current information, I assume that the problems are concentrated on this one ARD institution.” In terms of compliance and transparency in particular, other institutions are more exemplary in their statutes and internal regulations. In paragraph 31 of the new media state treaty, more committee powers, common standards, guidelines, reporting obligations and public dialogue are to be anchored. This is another step to strengthen the bodies. “We need active bodies that carry out their control tasks.”
Three things are important: firstly, working through the allegations, secondly, uniform transparency and compliance rules in public service broadcasting, and thirdly, strengthening the bodies with the amendment to the State Media Treaty. Hopefully this will come into force next year, Raab added.