Chair of Germany’s ARD broadcaster resigns

A prominent German journalist on Thursday resigned as chair of the board of Germany’s ARD broadcaster after being accused of awarding controversial consultancy contracts and misusing public funds.

“The public discussion about decisions and procedures… that fall within my area of responsibility has now extended to ARD as a whole,” Patricia Schlesinger said in a statement.

Schlesinger is the head of Berlin radio station RBB, a regional member of the ARD network — one of the world’s biggest TV and radio networks.

The 61-year-old took up the chairmanship of the ARD network earlier this year under a rotational system.

According to ARD, Schlesigner has been under fire over consultancy contracts awarded at RBB, which she has headed since 2016.

Some German media have also accused her of using a company car for private trips and paying for meals at home with licence fee money.

Schlesinger said she was giving up her chairmanship of ARD in order to help “shed light on the accusations”.

ARD has an annual budget of almost 7 billion euros, financed mainly by a licence fee.

It employs around 23,000 people at nine regional channels, which also produce national programmes, and one channel aimed at an international audience.