The Story

In what has been described as the media bombshell of the year, the head of one of Germany’s two public broadcasters has suggested that the two organisations be fused together.

Tom Buhlow, head of ARD, said last week: “I think that we have to ask ourselves: does Germany in the 21st century want to continue to have two nationwide TV channels in parallel? If not: what does that mean? Should one disappear completely and the other stay? Or should they merge and the best of both remain?"

This was such an act of sacrilege for someone inside the firm that Buhlow was at pains to say that his comments were only made “as a private person.”

He was clearly responding to recent scandals that have damaged the ARD’s reputation. Most prominently, his predecessor, Patricia Schlesinger, was forced to resign in the summer amid revelations that she’d lavished the licence fee on luxury ccars and a no-expenses-spared refurbishment of her office.

"Germany does not se…