Ruth Hieronymi: An indispensable voice for the WDR and the public service broadcast

ruth Hieronymi, a formative figure in the WDR round, died. Your long-term membership of 25 years, including seven years as chair, leaves a lasting impression on public service broadcasting. The WDR director Dr. Katrin Vernau emphasizes that Hieronymi has significantly promoted the transparency of the committee by enabling the participation of interested citizens in the meetings. In doing so, she set standards that appear for granted today.

Rolf Zurbrüggen, the chairman of the WDR-Rundfunkat, expresses his grief of loss and emphasizes Hieronymi's passionate commitment to public service broadcasting. Your foresight and commitment to independent reporting are of great importance at a time when media reports are critically questioned. She recognized the European dimension of media policy early on and vehemently campaigned for its strengthening.

While her term of office shaped numerous important decisions, including the choice of Tom Buhrow as the director, Hieronymi also contributed significantly to the further development of the WDR. Under your leadership, decisive program reforms were carried out and the WDR law amended. These steps contributed to adapting the WDR to modern requirements and consolidating its position in the media landscape.

Hieronymi conviction that public service broadcasting is indispensable was unshakable. Nevertheless, she always remained a critical voice and commented on the developments in the media sector even after her resignation from the round funnel. Their commitment will be remembered in the community of media professionals and spectators.

The legacy of Ruth Hieronymi underlines the relevance and the value of public service broadcasting in Germany. Their use and visions will also shape the media landscape in the long term.