NDR: Executives in Schleswig-Holstein let offices rest after allegations

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The Landesfunkhaus Schleswig-Holstein on the Kiel Fjord

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Axel Heimken / dpa

Due to unexplained allegations against editorial managers at Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) in Kiel, there are temporary personnel consequences.

The director of the Landesfunkhaus Schleswig-Holstein, Volker Thormählen, announced that Norbert Lorentzen and Julian Stein had been released from their duties at their own request until further notice.

Lorentzen is editor-in-chief of the NDR for Schleswig-Holstein, Stein is responsible for political reporting there.

The case revolves around allegations in connection with the political reporting of the public broadcaster ARD.

The online medium "Business Insider" and then "Stern" had reported allegations that journalists were too close to the state government and that there could be a kind of "political filter" by the superiors in the editorial office.

For example, it was about an interview that an NDR journalist wanted to conduct, but his superiors refused.

The NDR editorial committee came to the conclusion that the interview should have been conducted.

However, the suspicion of political motivation is not accepted.

NDR rejects the allegation

Lorentzen and the NDR had rejected the allegation of political influence.

The independent state broadcasting council of Schleswig-Holstein has initiated an examination.

In a letter to the state broadcasting director, NDR employees demanded complete clarification.

It's about the reputation of the station.

According to NDR information, the positions of Lorentzen and Stein will be temporarily taken over by the deputy director and editor-in-chief Bettina Freitag and editor Andreas Schmidt from the “Politics and Research” department.

The director of the Landesfunkhaus Schleswig-Holstein Thormählen added in the statement: "For the sake of good order, I would like to remind you that the presumption of innocence applies."

hba/dpa