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SWR Director Gniffke: Doesn't want to advertise "populists preferred"
Photo: Henning Kaiser / picture alliance / dpa
The future ARD chairman Kai Gniffke would like a broader range of opinions in ARD comments.
"We have to create a climate in the houses in which all views that adhere to the democratic rules of the game have a place," said the head of Südwestrundfunk (SWR) on Wednesday in Leipzig at a discussion with ARD directors.
You also have to have the courage to let them articulate out loud.
"That's certainly still a task," added Gniffke.
From time to time there is criticism from politics and the media industry as well as in social networks, for example, that the range of opinions in comments on ARD, for example, is not balanced enough and that there are not enough conservative voices.
At the conference on the subject of public service broadcasting's contribution to the common good, Gniffke also referred to the difficulties associated with such a demand and warned against a kind of "snooping around attitudes" in recruitment processes.
Certain attitudes and opinions - the SWR director cited the subject of nuclear power as an example - "we may not have as much on a list of commentators as the average population might have," he explained.
»But once again: I can't issue an advertisement now that says: 'Populists will be given preference if they have the same qualifications'.
I won't do it.« That is the specific question, how do you regulate something like this without asking what someone thinks.
Gniffke will take over the presidency of the ARD houses in 2023.
feb/dpa