
The trial against Patricia Schlesinger highlights misconduct in public broadcasting.
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The trial against former RBB director Patricia Schlesinger highlights misconduct in public broadcasting. Some resulted in criminal proceedings.
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Criminal trial against ex-RBB director Sponsorship money, surreptitious advertising, nepotism – the ARD scandal chronicle
The trial against former RBB director Patricia Schlesinger highlights misconduct in public broadcasting. Some resulted in criminal proceedings. The overview.
By Anna Ehlebracht
November 10, 2026, 4:59 p.m
In the “NZZ Machtspiel” podcast, RBB journalist Jörg Thadeusz criticizes public broadcasting for a condescending relationship with viewers, too many talk show repetitions and indecent appearances by AfD politicians. At the same time, he defends ARD as the “gold standard” of journalism.

The criminal trial against former RBB director Patricia Schlesinger begins in Berlin. She is accused of, among other things, dinner at the channel's expense, a trip to London with her husband and high bonuses. The case is seen as a symbol of the squandering of broadcasting contributions.

The independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta has ceased operations and evacuated its offices. The medium is reacting to the massive pressure from the Russian authorities, the classification as a “foreign agent” and blocked donations.

In her editorial, Claudia Panster reflects on the error culture in companies. The Handelsblatt weekend magazine also offers insights into topics such as AI working environments, the Kraft Heinz crisis, political tensions in France and the e-scooter market.

After the Republicans' defeat in the US midterm elections, Fox News is acting as a therapeutic authority for conservative viewers. The moderators avoid criticizing Donald Trump, stir up fears about the Democrats and promise an improvement soon.
The ZDF journalists Dunja Hayali and Sarah Tacke were awarded the Hanns Joachim Friedrichs Prize for critical television journalism in Hamburg. Other award winners include the NDR editorial team “Zapp” and the NDR journalist Manuel Biallas. The prize has been awarded since 1995.