Martin Grasmück has been successfully re-elected as the Intendant of the Saarländischer Rundfunk (SR). The incumbent secured the necessary majority during a meeting of the SR’s Broadcasting Council in Saarbrücken on Monday, ensuring his continuation in leadership roles at the station.
Thomas Jakobs, chairman of the body, announced that Grasmück attained 22 votes out of the 24 eligible and present members in the first round of voting. Peter Dinges, executive board member of the National Film Funding Agency (FFA), was Grasmück’s only competitor for the position.
Grasmück, who has served since 2021, will therefore extend his term until Spring 2027. He originally began his career at the Saarländischer Rundfunk as a freelance employee during his studies and held the position of Deputy Program Director before his election as Intendant. During his initial tenure, Grasmück initiated several reforms, which included staff reductions and the redistribution of resources. Moving forward, he stated his intention to further develop the broadcaster under the themes of being “innovative, future-proof, and rooted in the homeland.”
The opposing candidate, Dinges-a native of Saarland-has been active in the film and television industry for over 30 years and has served as the head of the Film Funding Agency in Berlin since 2004. Dinges campaigned on the idea of bringing a “clear, external perspective” and introducing new impetus, emphasizing that the Intendant role was a “matter of the heart” rather than a professional career progression.
