The RBB director Patricia Schlesinger is criticized. According to media reports, she is said not to have taken the broadcaster's compliance rules too seriously. It's about questionable consulting contracts and the use of their company car.
ARD chairwoman Patricia Schlesinger is increasingly coming under criticism. According to a report by "Business Insider", the 61-year-old is said to have claimed several questionable privileges in her capacity as director of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB). The magazine reports that, among other things, she rented a luxurious company car with massage seats and used it for private trips.
Schlesinger had previously made headlines because her salary, financed from broadcasting fees, had been increased by 16 percent to €303,000. Official dinners, which Schlesinger organized in her private apartment in Berlin in her capacity as RBB director, also triggered criticism. The RBB boss did not accept an invitation to the state parliament, which had scheduled a special session because of the allegations, with reference to the ongoing investigation. In addition to her work as director, the former "Panorama" presenter has been chairwoman of ARD since the beginning of the year.
The company car - an Audi A8 with special equipment - is said to have only been possible for Schlesinger thanks to a "government award" from the manufacturer. According to the price list, the model of the RBB boss costs around 145,000 euros. However, the manufacturer granted the director a discount of 70 percent. Audi and other car manufacturers regularly grant such official conditions for marketing purposes. The question now is whether Schlesinger went too far and whether she is acting as a brand ambassador for Audi. What employees of the public service broadcaster are prohibited from according to their own code of conduct.
Even the manufacturer pointed out this potential compliance risk. "In order to avoid conflicts of interest for you and our house, we have to make the offer dependent on your superior or the responsible office in your house approving the offer," says an email from the dealer that is available to "Business Insider". . The RBB approved renting the car and speaks of a company discount that is customary in the industry.
With a working time of around 80 hours per week, the RBB also justifies Schlesinger's two chauffeurs. After all, the limousine is a mobile office. However, the magazine also reports on a special agreement between the director and the broadcaster. Schlesinger may also use the company cars for private purposes. A special status that directors do not enjoy at other ARD media institutions such as SWR or WDR.
The use of company cars is said to have been designed quite freely. The tasks of the drivers should also have included errands for daily needs. Friends and family members were also "driven through the republic," reports the magazine. When asked, the RBB only replied that the private use of the car by the director remained private.
The RBB director is also already being criticized for reports on consultancy contracts. The broadcaster had defended itself against the allegations and launched an independent investigation. The "Business Insider" had started the criticism of the RBB. In essence, the question was asked whether the professional relationship between director Schlesinger and the head of the RBB board of directors could have crossed boundaries and whether possible conflicts of interest were dealt with too laxly.
In addition to the public broadcaster, Messe Berlin is also part of the reporting. Entrepreneur Wolf-Dieter Wolf is both the chairman of the RBB administrative board and the chairman of the supervisory board of Messe Berlin. Wolf gave up his position at Messe Berlin just a few days ago, and his position on the broadcaster's control committee is also suspended until the investigation is complete.
According to the broadcaster, the investigation includes, for example, the awarding of contracts to consultants for the planned construction project for the digital media house in Berlin, the settlement of official dinner invitations by the director and contractual relationships with Messe Berlin, insofar as these relate to the RBB. The media house on the broadcasting site at the Berlin-Charlottenburg site is to be built by 2026 and will promote cross-media work by the editorial team. However, the broadcaster is now putting plans for new buildings on hold for the time being.
Schlesinger said about the criticized official dinners that she had organized them in her private apartment in Berlin in her capacity as RBB director. Apparently the billing was wrong. Schlesinger told the "Tagesspiegel" about the dinner: "The nine meetings had the goal of better anchoring the RBB in the city, so it was really and exclusively about the interests of the station." First, they looked for restaurants or hotels. "That was too expensive for us. And because it should be manageable rounds anyway, I offered our dining table and my personal space." The guests, there were a maximum of eleven, were multipliers of the city and the country.
