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BODIES

The governing bodies of the non-profit CIVIS Media Foundation are: the Shareholder’s Meeting, the Board of Trustees and the Advisory Board. Die CIVIS Medienstiftung veranstaltet den Europäischen CIVIS Medienpreis für Integration und kulturelle Vielfalt in Europa. Er zeichnet seit 1988 europäische Programmleistungen zum Thema im Film, Fernsehen, Radio, Internet und Kino aus. Seit 1999 veranstaltet CIVIS außerdem jährliche Medienkonferenzen. Die CIVIS Medienstiftung leistet Unterstützung bei der Vernetzung von Journalist:innen und Programmgestalter:innen, die sich mit den vielfältigen Themen der europäischen Einwanderungsgesellschaft befassen.

Shareholder’s meeting

Partners of the CIVIS Media Foundation are Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR), on behalf of the ARD, and the Freudenberg Foundation. The partners’ meeting sets the annual financial framework for the organization and decides on the programme and projects of the CIVIS Media Foundation.

Dr. Katrin Neukamm
WDR-legal counsel

Studied law in Münster and Birmingham. Initially worked for eight years in the WDR Legal Department, then for four years in the NRW Program Directorate, Knowledge and Culture, where she was most recently Deputy Head of the Program Management Department. From September 2020 to July 2022, Legal Director of SWR. Since 1.11.2022 WDR legal advisor in top-sharing tandem with Prof. Dr. Caroline Volkmann and Head of the Diversity Advisory Board of WDR. Since 1.11.2022 Chairwoman of the CIVIS Shareholders’ Meeting.

Dr. Pia Gerber
Executive Director of the Freudenberg Foundation

Studied social education, with a secondary degree in political- and education science in Heidelberg. Worked with disadvantaged youths, people with a migration background and in the field of “political education”. Municipal Commissioner for Women. Work in the field of education and further education and training social workers. Doctorate awarded in 2005. Since 1999 employee of the Freudenberg Foundation, becoming the Executive Director and a member of the CIVIS shareholders meeting in 2010.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees exercises an important representative function for the non-profit CIVIS Media Foundation. The Board of Trustees is active in civil society so that the interests of CIVIS can be effectively represented in public. The members of the Board of Trustees advise the shareholders’ meeting. The members of the Board of Trustees have the right to suggest prize-worthy programme entries for the European Media Prize.

Tom Buhrow (Chairman)
Director General of WDR

Studied history and political science in Bonn. Completed an internship at WDR, then worked as an editor at WDR television, presenter of Aktuelle Stunde NRW reporter for Tagesschau and Tagesthemen. From 1994: ARD correspondent in Washington, then Paris, managed the studio in Washington. 2006-2013: presenter of Tagesthemen. Director General of WDR since 2013; ARD Chairman 2020-2021.

Stefan Raue (Deputy Chairman)
Director General of Deutschlandradio

Studied history in Freiburg and Bielefeld. Completed an internship and worked as a reporter at WDR. 1990-1995: Chief Editor at Rias TV and Deutsche Welle TV in Berlin. 1995-2011: Deputy Head of Political Affairs at ZDF, then appointed as the first tri-media Editor-in-Chief at Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk; Director General of Deutschlandradio since 2017.

Reem Alabali-Radovan
Minister of State for Migration, Refugees and Integration.

Studied political science in Berlin. 2012-2014 Research Assistant at the German Orient Institute. 2012-2013 Assistant at Country Desk, 2013-2014 Country Desk Middle East and Near East Association (NUMOV). 2015-2018 Clerk at the State Office for Internal Administration Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. 2018-2020 Management in the Office of the State Government’s Commissioner for Integration, January 2020 to September 2021 State Government’s Commissioner for Integration at the Ministry of Social Affairs, Integration and Equality in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Since December 2021 Minister of State for Migration, Refugees and Integration. Since February 2022 Federal Government Commissioner for Anti-Racism.

Minu Barati-Fischer
Author, Executive Director of Jooyaa film productions

Studied at the German Film and Television Academy in Berlin (dffb production course). Gained practical experience at various production companies and as a lecturer. Work as a TV producer and creating material for film and TV. 2009: foundation of the production company Jooyaa. Work as an executive director, producer and author. Development and production of several projects for TV and cinema. 2012 cinema debut with “Ausgerechnet Sibirien”.

Frank Elstner
Journalist, presenter, producer

Internship at Badischen Neuesten Nachrichten. Presenter, Chief Speaker and Deputy Programme Director at Radio Luxembourg, Director of Radio at RTL. TV presenter, including on the programmes Fernsehlotterie, Spiel ohne Grenzen, Montagsmaler, Menschen der Woche. 2002-2009: conception and presenting of Verstehen Sie Spaß?, and, since 2006, Die große Show der Naturwunder (with Ranga Yogeschwar).

Andreas Freudenberg
Educator and Culture Manager

Since the end of the seventies, work as an initiator and co-creator of numerous culture projects, including Werkstatt der Kulturen in Berlin, the Simdi Now festival and the CREOLE music competition. Member of the Board of Trustees of the Freudenberg Foundation since 1998 (Chairman since 2018). Since 2008, Executive Director of the Global Music Academy and founder of the private Global Music School.

Prof. Dr. Naika Foroutan
Professor of Integration Research and Social Policy at HU Berlin, Director of the BIM

Studied political science, Romance studies and Islamic studies in Cologne. 2004 doctorate. 2004-2009 Lecturer in Political Science at University of Göttingen and Free University Berlin. 2009 Research and teaching at Institute of Social Sciences at Humboldt University of Berlin, since 2015 Professor for Integration and Social Policy Research. 2014-2018 Deputy Director, since 2018 Director at Institute for Integration and Migration Research. Since 2017 director and founding board member of German Centre for Integration and Migration Research.

Dr. Pia Gerber
Executive Director of the Freudenberg Foundation

Studied social education, with a secondary degree in political- and education science in Heidelberg. Worked with disadvantaged youths, people with a migration background and in the field of “political education”. Municipal Commissioner for Women. Work in the field of education and further education and training social workers. Doctorate awarded in 2005. Since 1999 employee of the Freudenberg Foundation, becoming the Executive Director and a member of the CIVIS shareholders meeting in 2010.

Joachim Knuth
Director General of Norddeutscher Rundfunk

Degree in political science, communication science and history in Munich and Austin, Texas. Training as an editor at Deutsche Journalistenschule (the German School of Journalism) in Munich. Editor at NDR since 1985 and then Head of the Programme Department NDR Info/Chief Editor. Programme Director Radio at NDR from 2008 to 2020. Deputy Director General of the NDR from July 2019 to January 2020. NDR Director General since January 2020.

Peter Limbourg
Director General of Deutsche Welle

Studied law in Bonn, completed an internship at the Deutsche Fernsehnachrichten Agentur. 1996-1999 Europe and NATO correspondent for SAT1 in Brussels. Leading journalistic positions held at ProSieben, N24, SAT1. Co-presenter of several TV duals among leading candidates in federal elections. Director General of Deutsche Welle since 2013.

Gilles Marchand
Director General of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation

Studied sociology in Geneva. Worked as a publisher, manager and consultant at various French language media. 2001-2010: Director of Television Suisse Romandie, from 2010 Director of Radio Television Suisse. Member of the Supervisory Board of Euronews. Director General of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation since 2017.

Dr. Katrin Neukamm
WDR-legal counsel

Studied law in Münster and Birmingham. Initially worked for eight years in the WDR Legal Department, then for four years in the NRW Program Directorate, Knowledge and Culture, where she was most recently Deputy Head of the Program Management Department. From September 2020 to July 2022, Legal Director of SWR. Since 1.11.2022 WDR legal advisor in top-sharing tandem with Prof. Dr. Caroline Volkmann and Head of the Diversity Advisory Board of WDR. Since 1.11.2022 Chairwoman of the CIVIS Shareholders’ Meeting.

Stefanie Schneider
Director of the SWR regional broadcaster for Baden-Württemberg

Studied Romance and German studies Tübingen. Worked at various private broadcasters. Moved to SWF in 1991, then to SDR in 1997 where she worked as a reporter and presenter. From 1998, management positions held at Südwestrundfunk, including as Broadcasting Director of SWR4 BW and Programme Director of SWR4. Parallel activities for the French film festival in Tübingen (head of festival between 1992 and 2003). Director of the SWR regional broadcaster for Baden-Württemberg since 2014.

Dr. Mohsen Sohi
CEO of the Freudenberg Group, Chairman of the shareholder’s meeting of the Freudenberg Foundation

Studied mechanical engineering, aviation and aerospace engineering at Columbia and St. Louis, awarded a doctorate in science from the Washington University, pursued management studies in Philadelphia. Held management functions at ALLIED SIGNAL, Honeywell, NRC. Became CEO of Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership in Plymouth/Michigan in 2003. Chairman of the Executive Board of the Freudenberg Group since 2012. Chairman of the shareholder’s meeting of the Freudenberg Foundation.

Roland Weißmann
Director General of the Austrian public broadcaster /Österreichischer Rundfunk

Studium (Publizistik, Geschichte) in Wien. Zunächst 15 Jahre Reporter, Journalist und Sendungsverantwortlicher im ORF Radio und Fernsehen. 2010 Wechsel in den kaufmännischen Bereich, dort Management-Funktionen. 2012 ORF-Chefproducer, verantwortlich für die TV-Finanzen. Ab 2017 stellvertretender kaufmännischer Direktor. 2020 ORF ON-Geschäftsführer und Projektleiter des Zukunftsprojektes ORF-Player. Seit Januar 2022 ORF-Generaldirektor.

Dr. Katja Wildermuth
Director General of Bayerischer Rundfunk

Studied German, history and social studies in Munich, worked as a lecturer and completed her doctorate. 1994-2004: TV author for political magazines and editor at Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR). Head of the editorial department “History and Society” at MDR from 2004-2016. Was appointed Head of Culture at Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) in 2016. Programme Director of MDR in Halle from April 2019 to January 2021. Director General of Bayerischer Rundfunk since February 2021.

Dr. Beate Winkler
Author, painter

Studied law before becoming the founding director of the present EU Fundamental Rights Agency in Vienna and a consultant in the think tank of the President of the EU Commission. Initiator of new forms of cooperation in politics, media, science and non-governmental organisations. Numerous publications.

Advisory Board

The Programme Advisory Board of the non-profit CIVIS Media Foundation is made up of journalists and media experts in responsible positions. Exceptions are possible. The function of the Advisory Board is to examine the projects of the CIVIS Media Foundation and to adopt recommendations for the Executive Director and the Shareholders’ Meeting. All members of the Advisory Board work on a voluntary basis.

Jona Teichmann (Chairwoman)
Programme Director Deutschlandradio

Studied German studies, history and political science in Dortmund. Worked on a freelance basis for the Rheinische Post, editor at WDR (youth radio, Mittagsmagazin, the current affairs editorial department, WDR Radio Studio Bonn, Funkhaus Europa) since 1990. 2009 – 2019 Head of Regional Radio Programming. Editor-in-Chief for Radio 2019 – 2021. From January 2020 to April 2021 additionally Wellenleiterin WDR 5. Since April 2021 Programme Director Deutschlandradio.

Ulf Köhler (Deputy Chairman)
Team Leader Feature > >Main Editorial Office Culture and Youth<<

Studied journalism and eastern European studies in Leipzig before completing vocational training as an electronic technician. Internship at the news agency ADN. Work as a freelance author since 1989. Member of radio Features Group of the European Broadcasting Union. Head of Feature Editorial Department MDR Figaro since 2002.

Thomas Baumann
Head of Political Talk Formats at rbb-TV

Studied political science, communication and psycholinguistics in Munich. Work as a broadcasting reporter and editor at Bayerisches Fernsehen and Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk. Work as a reporter, planning editor and ARD correspondent in Prague. Deputy Editor-in-Chief for TV at the ARD Capital Studio in Berlin from 1999-2006. ARD Editor-in-Chief for TV from 2006-2016, 2016-2018 Deputy Editor-in-Chief for TV and Deputy Head of the Capital Studio. Head of Political Talk Formats at rbb-TV since 2019.

Ellen Ehni
Editor-in-Chief of WDR Television, Head of the Programme Division Politics and Current Affairs

Studied German and French law in Cologne, Berlin and Paris before completing an internship at Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR). Joined WDR in 2004, working as a correspondent in Paris, Head of the Programme Group “Economy and Law” and the presenter of the “Plusminus” and “Brennpunkt” broadcasts. 2016 Head of the Programme Group “Current Affairs, Europe and Abroad”. Editor-in-Chief of WDR Television since 2018.

Dr. Helge Fuhst
Editor-in-Chief of ARD-aktuell

Studied political science and history in Hannover and Washington. Internship at Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), author for the NDR Landesfunkhaus Niedersachsen. 2012-2013 Moderation Editor of ADR Tagesthemen in Hamburg. 2013 personal advisor to Tom Buhrow, Director General of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR). Also acting as the Deputy Head of the WDR Directorate in Cologne. 2017: Head of “Central Tasks and Programme Management” at phoenix in Bonn, as well as Deputy Programme Managing Director at Phoenix; from 2018 Programme Managing Director. Editor-in-Chief of ARD-aktuell since October 2019.

Tina Hassel
Head of the ARD Capital Studio, Editor-in-Chief of Television

Studied German studies, history and political science in Cologne and Bordeaux before completing an internship and working as an editor at WDR including work as a correspondent in Paris and Brussels and as Head of the Programme Group for Europe and Abroad; ARD Head Correspondent in Washington from 2012-2015. Head of the ARD Capital Studio and Editor-in-Chief of Television since 2015. Presenter of “Bericht aus Berlin”.

Manuela Kasper-Claridge
Editor-in-Chief of Deutsche Welle

Editor-in-Chief of Deutsche Welle Studied journalism; editor at Deutsche Welle since 1992 Held a leading position in the Economy department from 1998. 2012 Head of the main department for Economy, Science and the Environment. Member of the Committee for Communications and Media of DIHK and on the Board of Trustees of the Ifo Institute in Munich. Editor-in-Chief of Deutsche Welle since 2020.

Oliver Köhr
MDR / ARD-Chefredakteur und stellv. ARD-Programmdirektor

Studied politics and journalism in Leipzig. Traineeship at MDR. From 2001 editor and presenter at MDR radio. Head of service at MDR-Aktuell. 2008-2011 studio manager of MDR television in the ARD capital studio. From 2012, correspondent of the television joint editorial department at the ARD capital studio. 2019 deputy head of the ARD capital studio. Moderator of Report from Berlin. Since May 1, 2021 ARD Editor-in-Chief of Coordination Politics, Economy and Society and Deputy ARD Program Director.

Georg Mascolo
Author Süddeutsche Zeitung

Legal assistant by training, completed an internship at the Schaumburger Zeitung. Worked at Der Spiegel from 1988, first in TV, then print including work as a correspondent in Washington and as co-manager of the Berlin office. Editor-in-Chief of Der Spiegel from 2008 – 2013. Head of the research cooperation of WDR, NDR and Süddeutscher Zeitung and expert on terror at ARD since 2014.

Anja Reschke
Head of Programme Department Culture and Documentation at Norddeutscher Rundfunk

Studied political science, history and social psychology in Munich, internship at Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR). Work as a freelance author for Panorama, Extra 3, NDR Aktuell and as presenter of Panorama, Extra 3, Zapp and Wissen vor acht – Zukunft. Head of Domestic Policy Department from 2015-2019. Head of Programme Department Culture and Documentation at Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) since 2019.

Schiwa Schlei
Head of Program Group WDR COSMO and 1LIVE

Studied history, political science and media in Düsseldorf and Prague. Completed an internship at the Rheinische Post. Worked as an editor at SWR, WDR. Built up and managed digital channels of WDR 1LIVE since 2006. From 2015 Deputy Head of Programme WDR COSMO, since 2017 also Deputy Head of Development of Digital Products. Head of Programme WDR COSMO since 2018. Since 2022 Head of Program Group WDR COSMO and 1LIVE.

Peter Schöber
Executive Director and Head of Programming at ORF III TV, Culture and Information

At ORF Radio since the end of the eighties. Editor of the Information Department, 2007 – 2009 Head of Programme Development for Television. Executive Director of the TV broadcaster ORF/TW1 since 2010. Management of Europe-wide media projects. Executive Director and Head of Programme of ORF III TV, Culture and Information since 2011.

Bakel Walden
Director for Development and Services at SRG SSR

Studied media planning, media development and media consulting in Siegen and Poitiers. Completed an internship at RTL in Cologne, then worked in strategy development at the RTI headquarters in Luxembourg and at Greek subsidiary Alpha TV. Head of Programme Strategy at Swiss Radio and Television from 2012-2017. Director for Development and Services at SRG SSR since 2018.

Dr. Gualtiero Zambonini
Honorary member of the CIVIS Advisory Board

Studied philosophy in Rome. 1970-1973: worked as a freelance journalist, then took a teaching post at the Ruhr University as well as doing academic research at the Alfa research centre in Neuss. Editor at WDR radio since 1976. 1983: Head of the Italian radio editorial team and Deputy Head of the editorial team for foreign languages. 1995 Head of the Programme Group Forum Europe. 1999-2003 Head of the programme group Funkhaus Europa. 2003-2016 Commissioner for Integration at WDR.