BR reserves depleted by the end of 2024?
The Court of Auditors is now demanding austerity measures from the broadcaster
Created: 09/23/2022, 15:21
The building of the Bayerischer Rundfunk in Munich.
The BR is a founding member of the ARD.
(Iconic image) © Michael Eichhammer/IMAGO
The BR must save.
From the point of view of the Bavarian Supreme Court of Auditors, the broadcaster does not do that enough.
Above all, he sees employee pensions as a problem.
Munich – Bavaria's Supreme Court of Auditors is demanding stricter austerity measures from Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR).
Despite the savings measures that have already been introduced, the reserves of BR were largely used up by the end of 2024, the auditors said on Friday (September 23) in Munich.
However, since the BR has to meet its pension obligations and wants to push ahead with its reform course for the digital challenges, savings have to be made.
A station spokesman, on the other hand, said that a number of measures were already on the way.
Bayerischer Rundfunk: According to the Court of Auditors, pensions will still be a problem for a long time
The auditors called for the staff reductions that had begun to be implemented consistently and for all areas to be streamlined over the long term.
The number of posts should be reduced.
In order to reduce personnel costs, promotions to higher salary groups and high wage increases should be avoided “as far as possible”.
According to the findings of the auditors, there was a deficit of 465 million euros in the protection of the company pension scheme.
This will continue to increase.
The continuing increase in pension costs would pose considerable challenges for BR for a long time to come.
As of December 31, 2020, the broadcaster reported negative equity of EUR 47 million for the first time, which is mainly due to the pension provisions, which have continued to increase over the years.
BR facing financial problems?
Sender disagrees
A BR spokesman pointed out that the broadcaster had already fundamentally reformed its pension scheme and had been consistently reducing staff since 2016.
Both lead to a reduction in pension costs.
Moreover, these are not characterized by an increase in pensions, but by a sustained decline in capital market interest rates.
Since interest rates are currently rising again, the trend towards increasing provisions will change in the medium term.
As the BR spokesman explained, the broadcaster wants to end the contribution period in 2024 with a balanced result, despite additional expenses due to the corona pandemic and inflation.
In terms of salaries, the salaries of the director and two new directors have been reduced and the so-called expense allowances have been abolished.
This also applies to the management level below.
In addition, one director's position had been completely eliminated.
The BR apparently also wants to abolish its own media library.
How the financial situation of the public service broadcasters will continue to develop also depends on political decisions.
Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) wants to freeze the amount of broadcasting fees.
(
AFP/fn
)
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