In an extraordinary meeting on Thursday afternoon, the Broadcasting Council of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) cleared the way for the appointment of an interim directorship. The board of directors of the RBB had proposed such a solution in order to end the channel’s management crisis until a regular director was elected.
At its meeting, the council decided that the broadcaster could seek an interim solution for its vacant post as director. It was also decided that a search committee should be formed, in which – as required – the employees of the RBB should also be involved.
In addition to Dieter Pienkny, Head of the Broadcasting Council, Dorette König, Head of the Board of Directors, Sabine Jauer, Head of the Staff Council, and Dagmar Bednarek, spokeswoman for the Free Representative, will be part of the selection committee.
There is no specific time for the election of a candidate. RBB24 was the first to report on this.
On Thursday it also became known that the relationship between the former director Patricia Schlesinger and the former head of the board of directors Wolf-Dieter Wolf, who was supposed to control the work of the station boss, reached into private life. According to the RBB research team, this included private dinners and there were also plans for a joint trip to Israel.
Schlesinger resigned after allegations of nepotism and favoritism. She was later dismissed by the Broadcasting Council and terminated without notice by the Board of Directors.
At first she was represented by the former administrative director Hagen Brandstätter, who is now absent for several weeks due to illness. In his place, head of program Jan Schulte-Kellinghaus is now running the station business.
ARD boss Tom Buhrow had withdrawn his trust from the current management of the RBB. Large parts of the workforce are also demanding the immediate dismissal of the top broadcasters. The editorial committee of the broadcaster demands their resignation.
The state of Brandenburg, which currently has legal supervision, had checked the admissibility of the interim solution. According to the RBB state contract, an artistic director is elected for five years after a tender.
The State Chancellery came to the conclusion that, under certain conditions, it is possible to appoint an interim director without an advertisement.
On the one hand, the tasks of the interim management may only consist of restoring the ability and integrity of the station to act. On the other hand, the interim solution is limited to a maximum of one year.
Dieter Pienkny, the acting chairman of the Broadcasting Council, urged patience when asked about suitable candidates. Safety comes before speed, he told the Tagesspiegel and spoke out against speculation.
Pienkny referred to Dorette König’s responsibility as the acting head of the board of directors. She does the talking. Pienkny was the deputy chair of the board until the resignation of Friederike von Kirchbach.
