David Whigham, Editor-in-Chief of RTL Deutschland’s news channel NTV, was interviewed by the media website DWDL.de on the background of the upcoming German general election on 23 February and the live TV debate between the top candidates of the four major parties, broadcast on RTL Deutschland’s flagship channel RTL on 16 February.

A trusted source of information

In the interview, David Whigham emphasised the role of information and context in news reporting. He highlighted that information is the foundation for understanding the world around us, reaffirmed NTV’s dedication to balanced and independent reporting: “I am convinced that we must continue to pursue our course of objectivity with full confidence.”

Reflecting on recent movements on the objectivity scale in international media, David Whigham underscored the news channel’s commitment to avoiding polarisation for the sake of ratings: “If we take people's concerns seriously and don't let ourselves be deceived by the smoke screens of politics, then we will continue to be a trusted source of information for people in the future and prevent an even greater divide.”

Making all parties face critical questions

David was asked about how the media should handle populist and extremist parties, as Alice Weidel, leader of the German far-right party AfD (Alternative für Deutschland), participated in the recent TV debate. He emphasised that all democratically legitimate parties have the right to be heard, but that they also need to face critical questions from the media.

 “I firmly believe that people need to know what AfD stands for. Only then can they decide for themselves whether the party is the right choice for them and whether its policies are the right ones.”

Combating fake news

David Whigham stressed that one of the most pressing challenges in today’s media landscape is to combat fake news. “Fighting disinformation is our bread and butter,” he said, and underscored that NTV represents well-researched and high-quality news, which people put trust in, as shown by recent audience ratings.

On the topic of artificial intelligence, David Wigham stated that AI makes it harder to fight fake news, but it also comes with positive effects: “Generative AI also offers us opportunities to counter fake news. Our verification team naturally uses the possibilities that already exist today to fight disinformation”.

Digital transformation of the news industry

Looking ahead, maintaining a stable audience on linear TV while expanding digital reach will be a key focus at NTV. “We have to succeed at this,” David Whigham noted, and continued: “At the same time, we have to invest even more intensively in our digital transformation. This is where the opportunity lies to compete with the big platforms, also financially.” He concluded: “Simultaneously, this goes hand in hand with a clear focus on our core business: news, business and breaking news.”

Read the full interview on DWDL.de (in German).