Claus Strunz, former editor-in-chief of Bild and recently appointed head of Euronews, seems to have caused unrest among the channel’s employees in Brussels and Lyon, despite being in the position for only three weeks.
According to Uber Meiden, union representatives for employees in Lyon accuse him of violating neutrality and impartiality, jeopardising Euronews’ credibility and funding.
Employee concerns intensified following a social media post by Strunz, where he labelled the German government “the worst in its history.” He insisted on having this post shared from Euronews’ official account, disregarding objections from the channel’s social media team. Furthermore, he allegedly celebrated Donald Trump’s electoral victory publicly and forced early recognition of Trump as the winner, rather than waiting for official results from the Associated Press, as previously agreed. Some even claimed that he opened champagne to mark Trump’s victory.
Employees have requested a meeting with Strunz to address their concerns, while the Lyon union is calling for an investigation by Euronews’ board.
Euronews was founded in 1993 as a pan-European news channel by several public broadcasters. It is now owned by a Portuguese investment fund, whose owner, Pedro Vargas David, has personal and financial connections with close associates of Viktor Orban. Euronews receives subsidies from the European Commission: until mid-this year, these were over €20 million annually, currently standing at €11 million. Future subsidies are under negotiation.
