Broadcast contribution: This is how ARD and ZDF should save money – Queen’s funeral as an example

Hans Christian Dirscherl

FDP leader Christian Lindner has discovered the subject of broadcasting for himself. After Lindner demanded only a few days ago that the salaries of the directors should not be higher than that of the Federal Chancellor, he is now adding: With the reporting of the public broadcasters on the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

Funeral of the Queen as an example

The Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung reports that Lindner sees “considerable savings potential” at ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio. As a reason for a thesis, however, he does not take the self-service mentality of Patricia Schlesinger at rbb or the allegations of nepotism and censorship allegations at NDR, nor the lucrative part-time jobs and the generous company car regulation at Bayerischer Rundfunk – all paid for by the viewers’ broadcasting contributions. Instead, Lindner criticizes the simultaneous parallel reporting on the Queen’s funeral. Because ARD, ZDF and Phönix had reported live and independently of this event.

“The fact that ARD, ZDF and Phoenix broadcast live and in parallel from the Queen’s funeral from London and each have their own staff in London clearly shows that there is considerable potential for savings,” the newspaper quoted the finance minister as saying. According to the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, around 50 employees of the public broadcasters from Germany were in London at the same time. There had previously been criticism of the use of staff by ARD and ZDF at the CDU party conference, where 58 editors were on duty.

Linder: “Suspending the fee increases relieves people at a time of rapidly rising prices”. It should be noted that there is currently no fee increase. Even if the producers have demanded it: broadcasting fees should soon increase – demand TV producers.

In the medium term, however, a further increase in the license fee is indeed to be expected:

The broadcasting fee will probably continue to rise – that’s the reason

Broadcasting fee: No increase until 2024 – that’s how much ARD, ZDF & Deutschlandradio will receive

incentive to slim down

In addition, according to Lindner, suspending the fee increases would serve as an incentive for the institutions to become leaner and concentrate on their core mission. “I’m sure that large sums of money can be saved through cooperation without this having a negative impact on the program,” the newspaper quoted the FDP leader as saying.

Test: This is how the exemption from the broadcasting fee works

Broadcasting contribution: Artistic directors earn this much

Broadcasting fee: That much is not paid

Broadcasting contribution: Now it can get more expensive – for these payers

Broadcasting contribution: An ARD director earns up to 395,000 euros