The state broadcasting director of Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR) in Saxony-Anhalt, Ines Hoge-Lorenz, is resigning from her post due to a lack of transparency. From September 1, she will work in the main editorial office for information and innovation in the Leipzig program directorate, as the broadcaster announced on Friday. Ines Hoge-Lorenz only took office last year.
“Before I took office as director of the state radio station in Saxony-Anhalt, I failed to clearly inform that my husband played a role in the Causa Foht more than ten years ago,” said Hoge-Lorenz, explaining her resignation. The Causa Foht means a scandal that was uncovered in 2011. Udo Foht used to be head of entertainment at MDR. The public prosecutor accuses him of fraud, breach of trust, corruption and tax evasion in connection with his professional activity. The MDR had terminated Foht after the scandal became known. The trial against him begins on September 1st. Among other things, he is said to have cheated pop stars out of a lot of money. The presumption of innocence applies to Foht until the final conclusion of the proceedings.
Hoge-Lorenz explained: “Although I assumed that the court’s decision would settle the matter for my husband, I should have made this transparent to the director and the committees myself.” She does not want her integrity to be questioned and damage to MDR to occur. “That’s why I decided to ask the director to release me from my directorship,” says Hoge-Lorenz
MDR director Karola Wille said she took note of Hoge-Lorenz’s decision “with great respect and regret”.