German broadcaster suspends employee after misconduct claims

BERLIN – German public broadcaster WDR has suspended “a high-ranking employee” over claims of sexual misconduct — days after it installed a special investigator to look into its handling of abuse allegations.

The dpa news agency reported Monday that WDR confirmed it had suspended the employee Sunday. Several weeks ago, a WDR foreign correspondent was suspended after a former female intern had come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against him. The names of the two employees haven’t been released.

WDR is one of several public TV and radio stations funded by license fees paid by German households.

Germany has seen only one other high profile #MeToo scandal so far: Dieter Wedel, a prolific director of television dramas, resigned in January as head of a theatre festival following claims of sexual misconduct.