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Björn Wilhelm, Programme Director Culture at BR
Photo: Matthias Balk / picture alliance / dpa
The Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) has defended its plans for changes in the cultural offerings on the radio against criticism. "No cultural content will be deleted," said the program director culture of the public broadcaster ARD, Björn Wilhelm, on Thursday of the German Press Agency in Munich.
It is a programme strategy and not an austerity project, Wilhelm said of the ongoing reform considerations. "I have neither the intention nor the decision that even one euro will be saved in culture." Since last year, BR has been reviewing its entire range of television, radio and Internet services in an overall process.
In the past few days, there has been public criticism because radio broadcasts in the Bayern 2 program are on the verge of being shut down. It was first reported by the Munich »Abendzeitung«. In an incendiary letter quoted by the newspaper, which is also available to the German Press Agency, there is talk of an imminent "clear-cutting". More than seven hours of cultural broadcast per week are to be removed from the program.
»We don't cut content«
Criticism also came from the cultural sector, for example from publishers and the authors' association PEN Berlin. It is feared that, for example, the radio book programme »Diwan« as well as the cultural magazine »KulturWelt« or the »RadioTexte« with readings could be cancelled.
"There will be no clear-cutting," said Wilhelm. »We don't cut content.« In some cases, cultural content is to be shifted from special programmes with a small audience to programmes that are listened to very heavily, for example in the morning. »We want to strengthen primetime with more culture.«
The BR program director has not yet become more specific. It is expected that at the beginning of October, possible models will be presented to the programme committee of the Broadcasting Council control body and that they will be discussed.
hpi/dpa