After strong criticism, the journalist Thilo Mischke will not moderate the ARD cultural program “ttt – titel thesen temperamente” in the future. The “Süddeutsche Zeitung” first reported this, citing its own sources, but the ARD has now confirmed the report.
The cultural heads of the state broadcasters involved in the program had decided not to have Mischke as a presenter, ARD announced on Saturday afternoon.
The 43-year-old is a recognized journalist and multiple award-winning reporter. “But the heated discussion about personnel that has arisen in recent days has overshadowed the topics that ARD wants to convey with the show and brand ‘ttt’, the statement says.
Mischke and ARD agree that “the main thing now is to prevent further damage to the reputation of ‘ttt’ and Thilo Mischke.” The journalist himself is in an ongoing process of coming to terms with the events and will comment on the matter himself in due course.
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ARD program director Christine Strobl was quoted as saying that the focus is on “respectful, human interaction,” and this also applies to all criticism. “We have therefore had many discussions in the past few days, including with Thilo Mischke, who we value very much. We will continue this in the next few days and will work on the topic journalistically together with Thilo Mischke,” said Strobl.
We will work on the topic together with Thilo Mischke.
Christine Strobl
Mischke’s first “ttt” broadcast was scheduled to be broadcast by the Berlinale on February 16th. “ttt” is one of the best-known cultural formats on ARD. The show has been around since 1967.
Numerous cultural workers had previously spoken out against Mischke’s involvement as presenter of the ARD cultural magazine in an open letter to the program managers of the public ARD broadcasters involved.
The letter documented by the “Tagesspiegel” states that they are dismayed by the ARD’s personnel decision, which will cause lasting damage to the cultural program. “We are therefore ruling out any collaboration with Thilo Mischke as presenter of the cultural program ‘ttt – titel thesen temperamente’.”
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Mischke, who became known, among other things, for his work for ProSieben, is controversial because of previous statements that were perceived as sexist.
In response to criticism of the personnel decision, the ARD stated that since the publication of his book “Around the World in 80 Women,” Mischke has self-critically dealt with the allegations of conveying a sexist image of women and using sometimes racist language. He apologized several times for his language.
Award-winning journalist
Before Christmas, ARD announced that Mischke and Siham El-Maimouni would be moderating the show from mid-February, which is traditionally broadcast late in the evening on Sundays on Erste. Mischke is also starting a culture podcast with Jule Lobo. Mischke also announced his new role on Instagram. Since then he has not commented on the case there.
Mischke has been known for years primarily through reports for the private television station ProSieben. He won the German Television Prize in 2023 for his ProSieben report “Abandoned and Forgotten? Afghanistan in the grip of the Taliban.”
Before the last federal election, Mischke interviewed the then newly elected chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock (Greens) for ProSieben in April 2021. In 2020 he won the Bavarian Television Prize for his ProSieben report “Germans on the ISIS Front” about people who go to war for the Islamic State terrorist militia.
As ARD announced, Siham El-Maimouni will host “ttt” alone from February 16th.