In the scandal surrounding Patricia Schlesinger, the RBB Broadcasting Council wants to finalize the separation from the ex-director at its meeting on Monday afternoon – by terminating the contract or dismissing her. A two-thirds majority is required in the 30-strong supervisory body for a dismissal. The pressure on the members is high after picture and the ARDdaily News had already reported on Sunday about a planned dismissal. A request for immediate dismissal is apparently before the members of the Broadcasting Council for a vote. A week ago, Schlesinger had offered to terminate her contract prematurely. The dismissal would make severance negotiations superfluous and would be easier to convey to the public. However, it would also have to be validly justified. An interesting question is also how Schlesinger’s management will continue, whether the station should start its much-heralded new beginning with the old top management, just without the director.
Apparently, the applicants see the invoices for a total of nine dinners at the director’s home as leverage for the dismissal, which Schlesinger had paid for from the RBB as work-related. The RBB had quoted a specialist lawyer with the assessment that fraudulent accounting could result in termination without notice. According to the statutes, however, termination without notice can only be given by the RBB board of directors. Schlesinger herself denies that she deceived the broadcaster. After the allegations arose, she justified the meetings in her private apartment as background talks with multipliers in the city. Barbara Slowik, the chief of police in Berlin, announced last week that she remembered a purely private meeting. Had she known that RBB would be billed for the meal, she would have paid for it herself, Slowik explained. The Chairman of the Charité, Heyo K. Kroemer, also remembers a private appointment. The RBB is currently not commenting on the dinners. According to their own statements, an RBB research team had insight in documents “that confirm the suspicion of fraud”.
“One of her core tasks was to supplement the RBB network”
In any case, Schlesinger’s lawyer does not want to see any contradiction to the ex-director’s account in Slowik’s memory. He informed the SZ that all of the Schlesingers who were declared to be on business were also on business: “One of their core tasks was to supplement the RBB network.” When she took up her duties, everyone told her that the broadcaster was not well anchored in the economy, politics and administration of the broadcasting area. Schlesinger changed that by “contacting well-connected representatives from these areas”. Incidentally, such “exchange formats with representatives from different areas” could have a “purely private or mixed character” from the guests’ perspective. It is nothing unusual that such events could have a “double character”.
Crucial day for Patricia Schlesinger.
(Photo: Britta Pedersen/dpa)
Bettina Reitz, President of the University of Television and Film in Munich and former television producer and BR film director, commented less clear on SZ request: Meetings between her and Schlesinger are “always a mixture of professional and private topics” because of the similar professional orientation. Upon request, the Office of the Federal President reported to SZ that President Stephan Steinlein had at least one official dinner at Ms. Schlesinger’s. No information was available on the meeting to which Slowik and Kroemer referred.
Berlinale director Mariette Rissenbeek raised further questions; The RBB researchers explain, with reference to documents, that Schlesinger charged the broadcaster for a meal with Rissenbeek and company. However, the Berlinale boss now explained that she had eaten unaccompanied with Schlesinger and her husband. When asked by SZ, Schlesinger’s lawyer spoke of an error in the accounting, which Schlesinger unfortunately did not notice. However, the number of meals billed is “correct on the bottom line”; there were three meals and three meals were billed, the station was not damaged.
Tom Buhrow is angry, but also drives a car with massage seats
Schlesinger has been since the revelations of the business magazine Business Insider accused of mixing private and professional interests; Public outrage was also caused by an upper-class company car with massage seats, for which a large discount was claimed by the manufacturer, as well as details about the expensive expansion of the station’s executive floor and bonuses for the director. Schlesinger then gave up the ARD chairmanship and a few days later announced her retirement as RBB director. The magazine also disclosed questionable consulting contracts in which Wolf-Dieter Wolf, who resigned last week, and Schlesinger’s husband Gerhard Spörl play a role. Wolf does not want to comment at the moment. Spörl’s lawyer explains that his client knew nothing about unlawful actions by third parties. This shows “that he himself has not committed any unlawful acts”. According to the Attorney General, Wolf, Schlesinger and Spörl are investigating on suspicion of infidelity and taking advantage.
WDR director Tom Buhrow, who is currently chairing ARD after Schlesinger’s resignation, told the dpa news agency: “We are all disappointed and angry at ARD.” All broadcasters and employees who did a good job are now under general suspicion. However, Buhrow admitted that he also used a company car with massage seats.