What can happen, what happens if the affair about the dismissed director Patricia Schlesinger is not cleared up beyond a doubt on the Berlin-Brandenburg radio station can be seen in the statements made by Alice Weidel. From the point of view of the AfD federal spokeswoman, the concept of public broadcasting in Germany has become obsolete. “If at all, public broadcasting only has a right to exist in a form that has been drastically reduced in the number of stations, streamlined to a tenth of its current size and limited to a few essential core tasks,” said Alice Weidel in an interview with “Junge Freiheit”.
According to the press release, Weidel further stated that she had not been invited to any talk show by ARD and ZDF since the federal election. The public broadcasters would “simply disregard their statutory obligation to be balanced and neutral,” said Weidel. The “journalistic criteria” can’t go far, “if the opposition party, which on many issues takes the clearest and most consistent counter-position to both the governing parties and the cuddle opposition of the Union, is kept away from the discussions at all times.”
Weidel is critical of the chances for a fundamental reform of the broadcasters: “Anyone who wants to drain a swamp shouldn’t ask the frogs. Nepotism, corruption and a self-service mentality are part of the system in the public broadcasters, who are obscenely fattened with compulsory fees. A reform can therefore only come from outside In view of the deep-rooted camaraderie between the political and media establishment, however, this also requires a fundamental change in policy,” emphasizes the AfD boss. An ideal public service broadcaster is a “basic service” for which the AfD has developed the concept: “A slim, regionally oriented homeland service that provides the citizens with neutral news, cultural and educational content. A reformed and de-ideologized public service broadcaster must be financed from voluntary subscriptions instead of compulsory fees,” says Weidel.
Now Weidel and the AfD are habitually hitting around, they don’t know the middle and the middle, there’s loud banging, and when a “basic radio” is demanded, then that’s not a concept for a reform of public service, but for its destruction. That doesn’t solve the crisis at the RBB and therefore the entire public service system at all, only fuel is poured on the fire so that the outrage flares up brightly.
But, but, but: The unspeakable Alice Weidel has received templates that she thoroughly exploits. The events in public service broadcasting have created a mood in which the mood makers see their hour come. This can only be countered with rigorous clean-up work. And if Alice Weidel is actually no longer invited to talk shows, that is no proof of the self-confidence and strength of a pluralistic broadcasting system.
