The now former director of the RBB has been recalled by the Broadcasting Council.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin According to dpa information, the broadcasting council of the public service RBB dismissed Patricia Schlesinger as director on Monday. Der Spiegel and other portals also reported. This formally initiates the termination of the contract. The 61-year-old resigned as head of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) about a week ago – because of numerous allegations of nepotism.
A few days earlier, the manager and journalist had already retired as ARD boss. The case has plunged the broadcaster into an unprecedented crisis, which is also having an impact on all public service broadcasters. Patricia Schlesinger has been RBB director since 2016. Her second term should have lasted until 2026.
In addition to Schlesinger, the resigned RBB chief controller Wolf-Dieter Wolf is at the center of the allegations, which both reject. In addition, it is about questionable orders for Schlesinger’s husband Gerhard Spörl at Messe Berlin, where Wolf was also head of the supervisory board until his resignation there.
The online medium “Business Insider” got the whole case rolling at the end of June. The public prosecutor’s office in Berlin is investigating against Schlesinger, against the former “Spiegel” journalist Spörl and against Wolf on suspicion of infidelity and acceptance of benefits.
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The case involves details such as controversial consulting contracts for an RBB construction project that has now been put on hold, an expensive company car for Schlesinger with massage seats, the catering of guests in their private apartment at RBB’s expense with allegedly false bills, and a hefty salary increase for Schlesinger by 16 percent to 303,000 euros plus a bonus system for executives, which the broadcaster has so far kept under wraps. The renovation of the executive floor with chic furniture for 1.4 million euros caused resentment, and Schlesinger’s London trip is also being questioned.
Pressure from the editorial office
The core question is whether the station manager and the station manager Wolf could have treated each other too laxly in the event of a possible collision of professional and private interests. An external investigation by a law firm is ongoing, but the results are not yet available. They are not expected for a few weeks.
Pretty nice and expensive
1.4
Million Euros
is said to have cost the renovation of the RBB executive floor with chic furniture.
There have already been other personal consequences: a few days ago, the head of the artistic director, Verena Formen-Mohr, was released with immediate effect. Like Wolf, she is regarded as Schlesinger’s companion. The question is whether there will be further personnel changes at the top of the station. The composition of the Broadcasting Council and the Board of Directors have also been questioned in recent weeks.
Before the Broadcasting Council meeting, the RBB editorial committee asked the committee to do everything possible to ensure that all contracts, bonuses, performance-related salary components, bonuses, business, economic and special reports are disclosed in the broadcaster.
It was also said that the Broadcasting Council must also face up to its responsibility. The committee asked how it could be that all control mechanisms had apparently failed. After her resignation on Sunday a week ago, Schlesinger’s post was taken over by administrative director Hagen Brandstätter.
More: The return of the Berlin felt affair – What role does entrepreneur Wolf-Dieter Wolf play in the RBB scandal?