Guided tour and discussion round at Radio Bremen
Fascination for radio, fascination for TV. On February 22, our alumni were able to see and hear how Radio Bremen produces its current daily programme. The one-hour tour of the broadcasting centre in Stephaniviertel provided a fascinating behind-the-scenes view of the radio broadcasts and the buten un binnen TV studio – an enlightening prelude to the subsequent discussion with the director of Radio Bremen, Dr Yvette Gerner, on the future of public service broadcasting.
The revelations about the mismanagement and self-serving mentality at RBB (Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg) have thrown public service broadcasting into a real crisis and led to the whole system being questioned. We also have to address this at Radio Bremen, Dr Gerner made clear at the beginning of the discussion, and we have diligently done so. At Radio Bremen, she said, the control mechanisms and supervisory bodies worked. The station is also seeing a high level of public acceptance. A recently published study showed that 56 percent of Bremeners listen to or watch Radio Bremen’s programmes every day, and 95 percent at least once a month. For Radio Bremen’s director, it’s no coincidence that Bremeners value “their” station so much. Being close to people – that has long been the spirit of Radio Bremen, and it is much appreciated by listeners and viewers.
The very lively discussion round was moderated by our alumna Sarah Kumpf, who works as a consultant in the communications department at Radio Bremen. Several alumni affirmed their strong feeling of connection with their hometown radio station, how buten un binnen or the radio programme have become a daily ritual, with morning coffee or to relax in the evenings. Nevertheless, or perhaps for that very reason, there were also critical questions and comments: that the music programme on Bremen Zwei has lost the distinctive character it used to have, with unique programmes for connoisseurs; that on the radio, too many correspondent reports were aired and too few self-produced items from the region; why ARD directors would earn more than a federal chancellor. In other words, a very candid discussion where the director sidestepped no questions, and where the participants came to a unanimous conclusion: highly informative.
