Personal, close, direct. SRF Reporter tells stories of individual people — authentic, respectful, no pathos. The 30-minute format demands economical storytelling with clear focus on one or a few protagonists. The reportage accompanies people in their everyday lives, shows turning points, decisions, challenges. Minimal voice-over — the people tell their own stories. Emotional, but never manipulative. Swiss normality in all its facets.
What this format covers
●Personal stories from Swiss everyday life
●Working worlds: farmers, craftspeople, care workers, entrepreneurs
●Life crises and new beginnings
●Unusual life choices in Switzerland
●Young people and their fears for the future
●Old age, care, loneliness
●Migration from a personal perspective
What this format does NOT want
●Large-scale social analysis (for that: SRF DOK)
●Investigative research (for that: SRF Rundschau)
●Science or technology (for that: SRF Einstein)
●Topics without protagonist access
●Historical documentaries
●International topics without Swiss protagonists
●Celebrity portraits
Visual expectations
Close, observational, authentic. Handheld camera, natural light. The protagonists in their real living environment. No staged situations. In 30 minutes the visual language must be efficient — every shot counts. Swiss locations and landscapes as natural backdrop. Quiet moments are allowed and desired. Reference: personal TV reportage, not cinema film.
Expected exposé structure
Title (concrete, human)
Logline (2–3 sentences: Who, what situation, what's at stake)
Expose body text: The protagonist's story
Protagonist with concrete biography and current conflict/turning point
Access: How was contact established?
Narrative arc in 30 minutes
Author, production company, contact
Example productions
SRF Reporter: Allein auf der Alp — Ein Sommer ueber der Baumgrenze
SRF Reporter: Neustart mit 50 — Wenn der Job weg ist
SRF Reporter: Mein Kind ist anders
SRF Reporter: Leben zwischen zwei Welten — Secondos in der Schweiz
SRF Reporter: Die letzte Ernte — Wenn Bauern aufgeben
Protagonist-drivenEuropean perspective required
Editorial notes
SRF Reporter is the shorter counterpart to SRF DOK and focuses on personal stories. The 30-minute format demands economy and precision. External production companies can pitch. Protagonist access is the decisive criterion. Shoot typically over several weeks. Swiss connection is mandatory. The programme has a loyal audience that values authentic stories. Co-productions are rather uncommon for this format. Pitch language: German.
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