AI-generated summary
The state association of the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt is classified as right-wing extremist by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The children's television logo! from ZDF and ARD (KiKa) broadcasts news for children and young people.
ZDF defended an interview with the AfD's top candidate in Saxony-Anhalt in the children's news. Ulrich Siegmund was chosen for the program logo! interviewed. »In the end, we are not guided by the question of what shitstorm is threatening, but rather by our mission: Children need reliable information in order to be able to form their own opinions. Even when it becomes uncomfortable,” wrote Constanze Knuckle, head of logo! News, in a post on LinkedIn before the broadcast.
In the broadcast on the children's channel of ARD and ZDF (KiKA) on September 3rd, the former state student representative in Saxony-Anhalt, Lucienne Balke, interviewed Siegmund and the incumbent Prime Minister Sven Schulze (CDU). There was criticism on social networks that the station allowed the representative of a party to speak in the children's news, whose regional association is classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as definitely right-wing extremist.
The editorial team contrasted the two politicians' answers to largely identical questions in an article. In addition to topics such as favorite school subjects and the interviewees' opinions on youth words, there were also political issues such as a shortage of teachers, homeschooling and special classes for refugees.
Moderator justifies interview with survey results
In moderating the post, logo! moderator Sherif Rizkallah pointed out, among other things, that the AfD was “very controversial,” and he also mentioned the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution’s classification of the state association as right-wing extremist. He justified the editorial team's decision to interview Siegmund by saying that the AfD has been clearly ahead in the polls in Saxony-Anhalt for some time. In addition, “many people in Saxony-Anhalt support the party” and the AfD plays “a major role” in politics there.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
ZDF will publicly address the criticism of the interview in the coming days and defend its decision.
Likely · Within days

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