Leftists rage over shutdown of “diversity” radio station Cosmo

Cosmo, a radio station jointly funded by WDR, Radio Bremen, and RBB with approximately one million euros annually, is set to be shut down by April 2027. According to Nius, the closure stems from requirements under Germany’s Reform State Treaty, which mandates that ARD broadcasters reduce their radio programming.

The decision has triggered considerable backlash in progressive circles. A petition titled “Save Cosmo Radio!” has attracted support from an extensive list of left-leaning figures, including ZDF comedian Jan Böhmermann, climate activist Luisa Neubauer, and politician Claudia Roth. The Association of Döner Producers in Germany (VDD) has also signed on to the campaign.

A recent Instagram post from Cosmo promoted the trend of “modest fashion,” describing the increasingly popular style of body-covering, non-form-fitting clothing as having origins in cultural and religious dress. The station failed to critically examine whether this trend might represent religious coercion rather than free choice for many women, particularly Muslim women.

Despite claiming “diversity is not a marketing gimmick for us” and emphasizing that “polarization is not our thing,” several Cosmo posts appear to achieve precisely the opposite effect. The station has featured content from influencer Maraam Tarraf, who previously drew criticism for describing women without headscarves as “half-naked” in a Funk segment and mocking German women as “Alman-Sabines.”

One video shows a fictional scene in a German restaurant where the protagonist receives unfriendly treatment, suggesting discrimination based on cultural background.

The support list for the “Save Cosmo Radio!” campaign appears nearly endless, as Nius reports, reflecting the station’s strong foothold within Germany’s progressive activist community.

With information from Nius