Critical, high-contrast, provocative. Kontraste confronts political claims with reality — hence the name. Undercover investigations, scandal exposure, contrasting perspectives. Berlin directness and edge. The viewer should see the gap between promise and reality.
What this format covers
●Capital politics and federal politics — behind the scenes
●Scandals and abuses in politics and administration
●Berlin and Brandenburg: regional power structures
●Undercover investigations and exposure of hidden networks
●Right-wing extremism and threats to democracy in eastern Germany
●Economic scandals with political dimension
●Security policy and intelligence services
What this format does NOT want
●Soft reportage or portraits
●Entertainment formats
●Natural history documentaries
●Historical documentaries without contemporary political relevance
●Topics without investigative core
●Cultural topics without political relevance
Visual expectations
Magazine aesthetic with investigative character. Hidden camera, anonymized sources, documents and files as evidence. Contrast montages: politician statements vs. reality. On-camera interviews with those affected and those responsible. Confrontational interviews.
Expected exposé structure
Working title (provocative, contrasting)
Thesis / central revelation in 2–3 sentences
Investigation findings and evidence
Protagonists / those affected / those responsible
Planned confrontations and on-camera interviews
Author, contact
Example productions
Kontraste: Rechte Netzwerke in Ostdeutschland
Kontraste: Berliner Clan-Strukturen
Kontraste: Geheime Absprachen im Bundestag
Kontraste: Polizeiskandal Brandenburg
Editorial notes
In-house production by the editorial team, external submissions only by prior arrangement/commission. Kontraste (since 1968) is the RBB political magazine on Das Erste. Broadcast from Berlin with particular focus on capital politics and eastern German topics. Multiple segments per episode (approx. 8–12 minutes each). Undercover investigations are a hallmark of the format.
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