Orders from the Chancellery: 9,000 euros for “Tagesschau” spokeswoman Zervakis

The former “Tagesschau” spokeswoman Linda Zervakis received more than 9,000 euros for part-time jobs at the Federal Chancellery while she was still working for the German news program with the widest reach. A government spokesman told the Tagesspiegel on request. According to this, Zervakis, who was still employed at the Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) at the time, received fees totaling 9,081 during the tenure of Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) for moderating the presentation of the “National Integration Prize of the Federal Chancellor” in 2018, 2019 and 2020 paid euros.

After moving to the private broadcaster ProSieben, Zervakis worked two more times for the Federal Chancellery. For an interview with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) at the digital trade fair “re:publica” in June 2022, she received a payment of 1130 euros, referred to as a “lump sum”. For moderating the start of the series of events “Germany. immigration country. Dialogue for participation and respect” a few months later, according to the Federal Chancellery, paid 10,913 euros.

Due to the prominent event format, qualified moderation was required.

A government spokesman to pay almost 11,000 euros to Linda Zervakis

Zervakis’ Scholz talk had caused criticism because the official appointment of the interviewee was not recognizable as such for viewers. To the outside world, it looked as if Zervakis, who had also moderated the “trial” of the top candidates before the federal elections in 2021, questioned the chancellor in her capacity as an independent journalist. According to the government spokesman, a “general conversation” took place with Zervakis before the interview appointment at the technical level, during which “topic ideas” were discussed. “There were no prearranged questions.”

Chancellery assesses costs as reasonable

The government spokesman explained the comparatively high payment of almost 11,000 euros for Zervakis’ last chancellorship engagement at the end of November 2022 with the “outstanding event format” for which “qualified moderation” was indicated. “In view of her expertise and the necessary quality of Ms. Zervakis’ performance – also in a market comparison – the associated costs are considered appropriate,” it said.

The five-hour activity on site included, among other things, meeting Scholz again as part of a “moderation of a round of talks with the Chancellor and the guests”. Irrespective of the travel and preparation time, the journalist received an hourly fee of around 2,200 euros.

When asked by Zervakis how she assessed possible conflict situations in connection with her public appearance for the “Tagesschau” and the jobs at the Chancellery, her management referred to an earlier statement that the journalist and “freelance moderator” had not let herself be taken over by either side . The NDR initially gave no opinion on request.

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