Overview

• In interviews published on September 21, Armin Roßmeier says the broadcaster is being unfairly blamed for low fees, stating “Das ZDF wird zum Buhmann gemacht.”
• He contends that younger performers bring more energy and competition, while many older stars rest on their laurels and appear less engaged.
• His remarks follow complaints from artists such as Ikke Hüftgold, who compared Fernsehgarten fees unfavorably with payouts at Mallorca’s Bierkönig.
• Roßmeier describes a shift to more spontaneous bookings and cost-saving production, noting stagnant fees and higher surrounding expenses that reduce artists’ net earnings.
• Drawing on nearly four decades with the show, he recalls Jürgen Drews once jumping into a pool with a live microphone that damaged equipment, after which ZDF permitted the stunt only without a mic.