By Michael Sauerbier
With a bang, Ulrike Demmer (50) was elected RBB director in June – without any opposing candidates. “Unlawful,” says an expert now. Does the scandal broadcaster have to elect a new boss for the third time in a year?
Dozens of fun applicants, only three candidates, two dropped out. And even the only remaining Ulrike Demmer (50) initially failed the Broadcasting Council before she received the necessary majority in the fourth (!) ballot. She has been in office since the beginning of the month – perhaps not for much longer.
Applicant selection chaotic
The selection of applicants was already unprofessional and chaotic, says Potsdam law professor Marcus Schladebach in a report for the RBB staff council and the representation of freelancers. There were numerous errors in content and form during the preparation and implementation of the election.
According to the report, the co-determination rights of the staff representatives were restricted in an inadmissible manner. And there can be no question of Demmer’s mandatory distance from the state: she was most recently deputy government spokesperson for Angela Merkel and her deputy Olaf Scholz. With SPD ticket.
Schladebach states that only a new election of the director could remedy the “unlawful” situation. But the broadcaster and the all-important broadcasting councils waved it off. The RBB wants to examine the report, but: “The broadcaster has no doubts about the legality of Ulrike Demmer’s election,” said spokesman Justus Demmer. The two are not related.
Broadcasting Council chokes off topic
The 30 RBB broadcasting councilors are not interested in another agonizing election. The long-time mobile phone lobbyist and church representative Harald Geywitz (SPD) openly stated at the broadcasting council meeting on Thursday evening: “It is our job to support the director!” SPD broadcasting councilor Erik Stohn was caustic: “This is not a value-neutral report and borders on insulting. “He didn’t give any reasons.
Broadcasting Council boss Oliver Bürgel from the SPD-affiliated AWO quickly shut down the discussion about the explosive paper: “The report will be discussed in a working group!”
With a narrow majority, the embarrassing topic was postponed to the October meeting in the evening. Breathing space for Demmer, frustration among the 3,500 RBB employees.
“It’s not in the Broadcasting Council’s favor that we don’t deal with the report, which gives us a headache,” complained Councilor Ulrike Mauersberger from the State Parents’ Council. “It’s a shame that we hinder ourselves!”
Director Demmer, whose job is at stake, remained steadfastly silent. Since her election three months ago, the RBB boss has refused all interview requests.
The chairman of the board, Helmar Rendez, from LEAG (Lausitz Energie Mining AG) in Cottbus at a press conference on the future of the Lausitz lignite mining area Photo: Patrick Pleul/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
Ex-coal boss becomes RBB controller
The Broadcasting Council did make a few decisions:
► Helmar Rendez (63), former boss of the Lausitz brown coal company LEAG, was elected to the seven-member RBB board of directors. In 2021 he had to make way for Thorsten Kramer (61), who will rely on sun, wind and hydrogen in the future.
► Andreas Owsinski (62) will be the new RBB production director. With an annual salary of 185,000 euros, but no professional qualification. In addition to him and program director Martina Zöllner, the director wants to hire an administrative director with a five-year contract. Although her predecessor had halved the director positions from four to two. The new RBB state contract also only provides for one director duo. That’s why Owsinski’s contract ends again next July.
► The RBB supervisors also voted for a tough course against the fired Raffke director Patricia Schlesinger (62): In addition to her retirement benefit, the broadcaster also wants to cut off her pension and is demanding compensation and the repayment of allowances. RBB lawyer Carl-Christian von Morgen sees good chances in court.
► Demmer announced “zero wage rounds” for the RBB employees, who according to the Court of Auditors were overpaid. The director: “We have no money.” However, she has only increased salaries by another 2.8 percent. The employees also receive 3,000 euros in inflation compensation.
Self-sufficiency at RBB continues – from our broadcasting fees.