The ZDF executive editor Bettina Schausten defends the dismissal of the New York studio director for using unlabelled AI‑generated material in a “Heute‑Journal” segment. She told the Süddeutsche Zeitung (Wednesday edition) that the decision is rooted in the facts: it is a breach of rules that demands a response. There is no indication of intentional deception. Former long‑time “Heute‑Journal” anchor Claus Kleber, among others, criticised the dismissal.
Schausten admits editorial shortcomings that allowed the segment to be transmitted. “We are examining this very closely right now, and there may be labour‑law repercussions” she said. She said that during the vetting in Mainz “alarm should have blared because it was clearly clear that online material had been used”. In ZDF’s communication about the case, the seriousness of the issue had been “recognised too late”.
In a February 15 “Heute‑Journal” episode on ICE deportations, the segment contained AI‑generated scenes without any disclosure, as well as a clip taken out of context. Schausten explained that the ZDF is still investigating why no AI label was shown to viewers; a label would not have salvaged the segment. AI‑generated content is generally prohibited in news unless AI itself is the subject of the story.
She announced that, as a consequence, internal verification processes will be intensified. “Sensitivity must be increased” she said. Yet she also sees an opportunity in the fact that we are already experiencing a major learning moment at the very start of the media AI era. “ZDF has been damaged, but also made wiser”.
