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“Political filters”, shortened interviews, banned conversations. NDR Kiel is bewildered by the scale of the allegations star revealed. Investigative journalist Markus Frenzel got the scandal rolling.
The employees of the Landesfunkhaus Kiel had considered this week whether they wanted to broadcast at all, they are so stunned there. The director of the NDR state radio station in Schleswig-Holstein, Volker Thormählen, is now on unpaid leave for a month so as not to have to put up with the accusation that he would obstruct the investigation. Because with the NDR, what is probably the greatest asset is at stake for the entire ARD, credibility.
NDR advertises with Investigation
The NDR in particular likes to present itself as uncomfortable, extremely critical, and advertises with its investigative journalism. The investigative journalist from RTL Germany, Markus Frenzel, researched the abuses. In contrast to the rbb scandal, which involved billed expenses, company cars and the expansion of the director’s floor, the NDR case is completely different: “When it comes to money, you can say: That’s no longer possible, now it’s over, but how can I prove that I will report politically objectively in the future, that I’m not biased, that I don’t have any filters? The viewer doesn’t see that at first,” he says in the 353rd edition of the podcast “important today”.
Specifically, for example, it is about a high-ranking politician driving under the influence of alcohol: “The parliamentary manager of the CDU parliamentary group, one of Prime Minister Daniel Günther’s closest confidants, drove under the influence of alcohol from Parliament to his hotel, where he always stayed during the week of meetings He then rammed several cars there in the parking lot, then went into the hotel, then said, I’ve rammed cars here now, please call the police and then went to the bar and continued drinking. The process was then public and almost all newspapers in the country then reported on it – but not the NDR You have to know that there was a group of visitors to this member of parliament the day before, where alcohol was also drunk, and there was the deputy head of politics from the NDR. And the question must be allowed: Is there a connection?” says Markus Frenzel.
Being too close doesn’t have to be a problem
The proximity between politicians and journalists is not a problem at first, says Markus Frenzel: “I’m an investigative journalist and for that you actually have to get very, very close. But proximity mustn’t become a problem that the closer I get come close, then take over the position of the structure, the person, the party somewhere. I always have to try to maintain my critical eye, no matter how close I am to it. And closeness in itself doesn’t mean camaraderie, that would be the worst thing what there is in journalism.”
The NDR is now trying to clarify, director Joachim Knuth was in the Landesfunkhaus Kiel and promised the employees: inside to clarify the scandal with a lot of transparency. Investigative journalist Frenzel is currently still working on the case and there will certainly be more that will come to light in the next few weeks. A complete clarification can only be in the interest of the NDR in order to restore the credibility of the viewers.
© TVNOW / Andreas Friese
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Source: Stern
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
