Schummel flies up: “Tagesschau” presents its own moderator as a customer

Penny’s price action made waves earlier in the week. The discounter increased its prices by up to 94 percent. The sausages cost six instead of three euros this week. With the campaign, the discounter wants to make it clear to consumers how expensive sausages or vegan schnitzel really have to be.

The “Tagesschau” also reported on the unusual action in a contribution produced by WDR. In a penny market, suspected customers were asked about the campaign. But one of the customers was actually a WDR presenter. This is reported by the “image”.

Wrong customer thinks climate price increase is good

When asked about the price campaign, a first customer replies that she would not buy the groceries with the price increase, but would rather wait until the prices are back to normal next week.

But not so the cheating customer Hannah Mertens. She thinks the surcharges are good, says, according to “Bild”, smiling into the camera: “Because it makes you think. Normally you don’t think about the fact that meat has so and so much markup.”

But Hannah Mertens works at WDR herself, is a production assistant and presenter.

“Tagesschau” post now deleted – WDR editor-in-chief comments

The “Bild” asked the WDR. And in fact, the broadcaster admits that “journalistic standards” were not met here. “The original sound sequence shown in the contribution we produced should not have been broadcast in this way,” says “Bild”. The post was also deleted from the media library after a “picture” request.

WDR editor-in-chief Stefan Brandenburg commented on the incident on Twitter – and justifies the mistake by saying that the reporter did not understand that Mertens was a colleague. This can be attributed to “the many background noises in the supermarket”. Brandenburg continues: “If the reporter had understood that he was dealing with a colleague, he would never have included her short and spontaneous reaction in the article.”

CDU politician shoots against public broadcasters

“WDR’s mistakes are piling up at breakneck speed,” says CDU politician Serap Güler of “Bild”. Johannes Steiniger from the CDU also criticizes the “Tagesschau”, says to “Bild”: “If it helps eco-ideology, the end at WDR obviously justifies the means.”