ZDF director Norbert Himmler earns 372,000 euros a year. There are also benefits in kind, expense allowances, a pension plan and a company car. This amount is as well known as the fee that Jan Böhmermann receives from the broadcaster: 651,000 euros plus VAT. According to the contract disclosed by Welt, the amount will increase by 31,000 euros in 2024. In 2025, Böhmermann should earn 713,000 euros.
The internal list shows what Markus Lanz, Horst Lichter and Co earn at ZDF
“Welt am Sonntag” now includes a list listing ZDF's previously secret fee agreements. The list is from March 2023:
- Markus Lanz: 1.9 million euros this year. Next year, around 2 million euros
- Horst Lichter: around 1.7 million euros per year until 2025
- Oliver Welke: €1.18 million per year (until last year)
- Johannes Kerner: 630,000 euros
- Andrea Kiewel: 400,000 euros
- Mai Thi Leiendecker: 349,000 euros
- Giovanni Zarella: 300,000 euros
- Christian Sievers: 350,000 euros (gross)
- Maybrit Illner: 480,000 euros (gross)
- Rudi Cerne: 382,000 euros (gross)
- Marietta Slomka: 393,750 euros (gross)
According to “Welt am Sonntag”, ZDF did not want to comment on individual contracts. For “data protection reasons”, the broadcaster may provide information about “freelancers”.
“Contributors need to know what their fees are paying for”
It has been repeatedly criticized that public broadcasting needs to be made more digital and efficient. German households currently pay a monthly fee of 18.36 euros. On February 23, the independent financial commission KEF, which looks at the financial needs of ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio, will make a recommendation to the states on how big the contribution should be from 2025 onwards. The initial draft called for 18.94 euros.
States must follow the recommendation closely, but several chief ministers made it clear months ago that they wanted to resist the increase. The case may reach the Federal Constitutional Court.
Regarding salaries, Christiane Schenderlein, a CDU member of the Saxon Bundestag and spokeswoman for the union's culture and media group, asked “Welt am Sonntag” that details of contracts “from €250,000” should be published. “Contributors must be able to know what their fees are paying for.”