NDR wins lawsuit against Julian Reichelt

Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), a public broadcaster in Northern Germany, has secured a victory in a legal dispute concerning a statement requested by Julian Reichelt, former editor-in-chief of the tabloid newspaper Bild. The Higher Regional Court of Hamburg (Oberlandesgericht Hamburg) overturned a lower court's decision that had ordered NDR's program "Reschke Fernsehen" to broadcast Reichelt's statement.

The dispute originated from a February 2023 episode of the ARD program. Titled "Julian Reichelt and the Women: Fuck, Lie, Throw Away," the broadcast addressed allegations of abuse of power against Reichelt. He subsequently demanded the airing of a five-point statement in response.

The Regional Court of Hamburg (Landgericht Hamburg) had initially granted Reichelt's request and issued an order for the statement to be broadcast. NDR appealed this decision. In its ruling on May 6, the Higher Regional Court reversed the lower court's decision, dismissing Reichelt's application. The ruling is final and cannot be appealed.

The Higher Regional Court found that the statement requested by Reichelt did not meet the legal requirements for such a broadcast. This case highlights the legal boundaries concerning journalistic reporting on public figures and their alleged conduct.