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SRF

Srf Reporter

Format

Reportage / Personal Reportage

Length

30 min

Timeslot

Wednesday 21:05 on SRF 1

Exposé length

2–3 pages

Editorial tone

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

  1. Title (concrete, human)
  2. Logline (2–3 sentences: Who, what situation, what's at stake)
  3. Expose body text: The protagonist's story
  4. Protagonist with concrete biography and current conflict/turning point
  5. Access: How was contact established?
  6. Narrative arc in 30 minutes
  7. 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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