BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – The abolition of the controversial bonus salary system for executives at Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) will also affect current contracts. The interim director of the public broadcaster ARD, Katrin Vernau, said in a committee meeting in the Berlin House of Representatives on Monday that executives had been asked whether they would be willing to give up without replacement. Of 25 non-tariff employees, 20 agreed, two were not willing to do so, and three had not yet received any feedback.
A lack of transparency in the bonus system is one of the allegations that media reports have made about the crisis-ridden ARD broadcaster since June. According to their own statements, there is no comparable system in other ARD houses. At the end of August, the RBB Board of Directors decided to abolish the variable salary system. This should no longer be included in future contracts.
At the center of the RBB scandal are the director Patricia Schlesinger, who was fired without notice, and the resigned station chief inspector Wolf-Dieter Wolf. Both rejected allegations. In addition to the bonus system, there are also, for example, controversial consultancy contracts for an RBB construction project that has now been put on hold.
The Attorney General is investigating against Schlesinger, Wolf and other executives of the station. Results are not yet available, until then the presumption of innocence applies. At the same time, a law firm is conducting an external investigation into the allegations. A first interim result is to be presented to the RBB broadcasting council control committee this Thursday./rin/DP/men