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ZDF Reviews Kids’ ‘logo!’ Episode After Back-to-Back Religion Pieces Draw Criticism

The broadcaster attributes the clash to poor scheduling, pledging an internal review.

Overview

  • The children's news show 'logo!', which ran two back-to-back religion pieces Thursday, drew a formal complaint from a former ZDF correspondent.
  • The Ramadan segment showed real families, food and gifts, then an explainer on Christian churches focused on indulgences, church power and recent crimes against children.
  • Thorsten Alsleben filed his complaint with the ZDF television council, called the church piece one-sided, and asked for an apology with a counterstatement.
  • ZDF called the juxtaposition 'unlucky' and unintended, said each piece was produced for separate news reasons, and said teams have reviewed the lapse to improve coordination.
  • The episode remains available in the ZDF Mediathek, as CNA’s first report and coverage by WELT, FOCUS and Junge Freiheit fueled a wider debate on how children’s news should present religion.