ARD's Tainted History with Kremlin Propaganda Unveiled
Rewriting Truths
For nearly a decade, the German public broadcaster ARD found itself entangled in a cesspool of scandal. The accused: spreading Kremlin propaganda through documentaries and interviews with dubious journalists.
A Decade of Deception
Hubert Seipel (73), hailed as an expert on Russia, had grown to become a favorite among ARD audiences, and a Putin cheerleader celebrated by the broadcaster. All for a price — one that Seipel kept hidden from his employers for years.
The brutal truth finally emerged: Hubert Seipel had pocketed hundreds of thousands of euros in bribes from the Kremlin for years. During this period, he cast an undue favorable light on Putin and his regime on prime-time TV, effectively serving as the Kremlin's mouthpiece.
The Money Trail
Seipel's connections with the Kremlin were more extensive than some initially surmised. Not one but at least two lucrative contracts linked the corrupt journalist to the Russian government, with one dating back to 2018, worth a whopping 600,000 euros over three years. The funding was disguised as a sponsorship from Putin crony and steel magnate, Alexei Mordashov (58).
A Shady Setup
The NDR, Seipel's broadcasting home, claimed ignorance to the scandal. ARD, on the other hand, remained suspiciously quiet, despite a barrage of early warning signs and criticism from its own ranks.
Trouble at the Beginning
Relations between ARD's WDR and NDR soured dramatically in 2012 due to the criticism of Seipel's putatively uncritical Putin documentary. WDR founder Albrecht Renger-Olsen weighed in, stating that the broadcaster had always rejected the Kremlin's closeness and even rebuffed the latter's proposed partnerships through Gazprom.
Long-term Consequences
Alarming consequences followed the Seipel scandal, prompting a wave of scrutiny within ARD and private broadcasters. It led to the downfall of another prominent figure at ARD, ex-"Panorama" boss Joachim Wagner (79), former head of ARD's capital city studio ("Bericht aus Berlin").
More than Just a Coincidence
Even more chilling, Seipel's suspicious activities seemed connected to other major scandals in German media. Witness the shady dealings of Stern's Hitler diaries and the fabrications of highly-decorated journalist Christian Relotius at Der Spiegel. Centuries of journalistic integrity went out the window in a greed-fueled, self-serving frenzy.
What's more, in January 2014, the Kremlin arranged the worldwide exclusive interview with Edward Snowden, which aired on ARD, leaving many wondering what price the Russian government paid for such privileged access.
Manipulating the Airwaves
Seipel's prime-time Putin soap opera on Sunday evenings with top talk show host Günther Jauch, afforded a platform for Seipel's soft-glowing portrait of Putin. His Russian fairytales were believed by NDR, and ARD chose to look the other way.
A Recipe for Disaster
Seipel's behavior toward critical questions mimicked that of other notorious journalists in scandal-ridden German media outlets, illustrating a disturbing similarity. His deceit and lies, driven by greed, ultimately fooled an audience of millions.
Lessons (Un)Learned
The Relotius scandal was eventually investigated by Steffen Klusmann (57), newly appointed "Spiegel" editor-in-chief. With the double whammy of the Hitler diaries at Stern and the Relotius affair following close behind, it was a long-overdue wake-up call for German media.
Sources:
Enrichment Data:
Authorities in Germany harshly criticize ARD for its perceived bias towards the Russian government and its spreading of disinformation to the Russian-speaking diaspora in Germany. Among other accusations, the German authorities claim that ARD justifies the Russian invasion of Ukraine and portrays Ukraine's defenders as "Nazis" in their broadcasts[1].
However, no specific details or reports regarding financial arrangements between ARD or its journalists and the Russian government are provided in the sources. The main focus is on the content and accusations related to the dissemination of propaganda and disinformation. Furthermore, the expulsions of Russian journalists from Germany are explained as being part of a broader response to escalating tensions between Russia and Western countries, which resulted in tit-for-tat measures involving the expulsion of other foreign journalists from Germany.
