Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner calls for a salary cap for top staff in public broadcasting. “I’m against any debate about envy, but no director should earn more than the chancellor. A self-commitment is needed here in order to be economical with the fee payers’ money,” said the head of the FDP picture on sunday.
Lindner also spoke out in favor of reforming the number of employees in management and in the management floors. “Overall, the executive floors and administrations should be leaner in order to pay the editors who create the content appropriately,” says Lindner.
Lindner’s demand for a cap is the more liberal version of a push that was last by Bavaria’s CSU Prime Minister Markus Söder and the leaders of the Union parliamentary group. Accordingly, the salaries of the directors should be reduced to 190,000 euros or adjusted to the level of ministers or state secretaries.
Public service broadcasting is currently under massive pressure
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz currently earns around 362,000 euros with the combination of Chancellor’s remuneration and parliamentary allowance. WDR director Tom Buhrow brings it to 413,000, ZDF director Norbert Himmler to 372,000 euros. Buhrow, who is also provisional ARD chairman, recently emphasized at a press conference that the 413,000 euros that he received as a basic salary in 2021 he has repeatedly renounced increases. He also waives income from supervisory boards.
Public broadcasting has come under massive pressure in recent weeks. RBB director and ARD chairwoman Patricia Schlesinger resigned after allegations of nepotism and wasting money. Shortly thereafter, Sabine Rossbach, head of the NDR broadcasting center in Hamburg, her post for now. Among other things, she is accused of favoring family members, which she denies. Two NDR executives in Kiel had previously left their posts. There are allegations of political influence.