In the week from January 11 to 17, 2021, young people between the ages of 13 and 20 will be able to go behind the scenes of Swiss media such as Tages-Anzeiger, SRF, Radio 24, NZZ and many more. Together with professionals, they write articles, shoot videos or present radio shows. The common goal: to understand journalism, experience journalism and help shape journalism. The young people's stories - whether text, video or audio contribution - are published by the host medium.
"Communicating with young people is more important than ever," says Michael Marti, one of the initiators of YouNews and a member of the Tamedia editorial team. "The last few months with the flood of information about the coronavirus pandemic show how important a high level of media literacy is for young people in everyday life." And Franz Fischlin, "Tagesschau" presenter and also a YouNews initiator, adds: "I'm looking forward to the exchange on an equal footing. The past few years have shown that both sides benefit - the young people, but also us journalists."
Various projects this year too
There is a wide range of projects on offer again this year: Young people are helping to design an entire edition of the city magazine Züritipp, in a joint project by Blick, SRF Tagesschau and Tages-Anzeiger they are at the start of a World Cup race as sports reporters and at the Engadiner Post a school class is to help shape the entire newspaper edition.
Interested school classes and young people between the ages of 13 and 20 can apply to take part on YouNews.ch until November 8. The winners will be informed by the end of November 2020.
New ambassador for YouNews
A new member of the YouNews team this year is 19-year-old Zurich radio journalist Lea Hilff: she is the ambassador for YouNews on the most important video platforms and social media sites and produces videos with her own crew of peers.
YouNews was created on the initiative of Viviane Manz, editor and producer at SRF Tagesschau, Michael Marti, member of the editorial team at Tamedia, and Franz Fischlin, SRF Tagesschau (Werbewoche.ch reported). The Swiss Media Association provides organizational support for the Youth Media Week, in which around 250 pupils take part each year.
On Friday, January 17, 2020, the audience can expect a youthful edition of "10vor10". The entire show will be co-created by a total of 15 young people from all over German-speaking Switzerland aged between 12 and 19.
One of them is Enya Ernst, who takes her place at the moderation desk. The 15-year-old goes to the Kantonsschule Wattwil SG and is coached by Arthur Honegger for her performance.
The assignment on "10vor10" will also be special for 16-year-old Matteo Schmid. The electronics apprentice will soon be recruited for recruit school. Beforehand, he will have the opportunity to get to the heart of Defense Minister Viola Amherd in an interview on the subject of recruit school and fighter pilots.
The young people work on all the reports for the program and also set the topics in some cases. For example, based on input from young people, the news magazine reports on online trade from China and its ecological impact, as well as on the fascination of e-sports.
Young people report from the Lauberhorn race for the "Tagesschau".
As part of YouNews 2020, 15-year-old Linus Martin from Worb BE and 13-year-old Nicolas Moscatelli from Liestal BL are working with Franz Fischlin to produce a report in the run-up to the Lauberhorn race for the "Tagesschau" main edition on Friday, January 17, 2020. The plan is to produce a feature on the training sessions for the longest downhill run in the Ski World Cup.
VSM organizational companion for the first time
During the week of January 13-19, 2020, various Swiss media will offer young people an in-depth look at the various branches of journalism at the third edition of YouNews, the Swiss Youth Media Week. At SRF, young people will take part in a total of seven different projects.
YouNews was created on the initiative of Viviane Manz, deputy head of the foreign editorial department at Fernsehen SRF, Michael Marti, member of Tamedia's editorial board, Franz Fischlin, SRF "Tagesschau" and "Medienclub," and representatives of the Quality in Journalism Association, which supports the project.
For the first time, YouNews 2020 is being organized by the Swiss Media Association. Around 250 young people took part in each of the first two events.
In the week from January 13 to 19, 2020, various Swiss media will be offering young people an in-depth insight into the various branches of journalism at the third edition of YouNews, the Swiss Youth Media Week.
NZZ provides an insight into the work of video journalists over three days. At SRF Virus, young people will learn how the legendary rap event "Virus Bounce Cypher" comes about and get to know live radio better. With the new YouNews partner PCtipp, those interested can produce their own podcast, and young talents can also determine and help shape what is broadcast in an edition of the news magazine 10vor10.
For the first time with a cross-media project are ViewSRF Tagesschau and Tages-Anzeiger at the start and are cooperating with the Lauberhorn race in Wengen. Together with the editorial teams, the young people report on the preparations and the atmosphere in Wengen shortly before the Lauberhorn race. The young people can act as presenters in front of the camera and interview professional skiers or up-and-coming talent.
With 10vor10, Bieler Tagblatt, Engadine Post, FrutigländerRadio 4 TNG - "The Next Generation", PCtipp, Schaffhausen News as well as the Südostschweiz media family and the SRF Club, numerous new partners have been acquired for the third implementation of the project. The founding partners, namely SRF Tagesschau, Tages-Anzeiger/Sunday newspaperSwiss School of Journalism MAZ, Radio Argovia, Radio SRF 3, SRF Virus and Watson, are once again taking part. Since the second edition View, NZZ, NZZ on SundayRadio 24, Virgin Radio Switzerland, Radio SRF News and Arena YouNews.
Interested school classes and young people between the ages of 13 and 20 can register from now until November 8, 2019 at YouNews.ch apply to take part. The young people are given the opportunity to work directly in the editorial offices. The resulting contributions are published in the respective partner medium.
The YouNews project was initiated by Viviane Manz, editor and producer at SRF Tagesschau, Michael Marti, member of the Tamedia editorial team, Franz Fischlin, SRF Tagesschau and Media Club, and representatives of the "Quality in Journalism" association, which supports the project. YouNews 2020 is being organized for the first time by the Swiss Media Association. Around 250 young people took part in each of the first two events.
In the week from January 15 to 21, 2018, various Swiss media will offer young people the opportunity to get to know journalistic work during the first YouNews - Swiss Youth Media Days. The aim is for young people to experience and understand how traditional media contribute to opinion-forming in our democracy in times of fake news, chatbots and insta-stories. The young people can work directly in the editorial offices on various projects, hand in hand with the professionals. The resulting stories, radio reports or TV videos are published in the respective host medium.
The Youth Media Days project was initiated by Viviane Manz, editor and producer at SRF Tagesschau and Michael Marti, Head of Digital and Newsnet and member of the editorial board of Tages-Anzeiger/SonntagsZeitung as well as Franz Fischlin, SRF Tagesschau, Media Club and representative of the "Quality in Journalism" association, which supports the project.
"A high level of media literacy among young people is more important today than ever, and this is where YouNews comes in," says Michael Marti. He adds: "The aim of the Media Days is not just for pupils to acquire new knowledge, we media professionals are also keen to get to know and understand young people's media consumption better."
"We are really looking forward to meeting the young people. And we are convinced that we can learn as much from them as they can from us," say Viviane Manz and Franz Fischlin.
Together with @tagesanzeiger, @watson_news & partners we invite young people: Make media with us! #YouNews2018 ? https://t.co/MwWUTL8JEL pic.twitter.com/dmoVUhhRCJ
- SRF (@SRF) October 4, 2017
The participants and their projects
BZ Bernese Newspaper
Young people are going stupid because they only stare at their smartphones. This is a frequently heard statement from the older generation of newspaper readers. But is it true? In the BZ Berner Zeitung workshop, young people reflect on how they use social (Snapchat, Instagram) and other media. They process their findings, supervised by professionals, in their own video or text contributions and see how much effort it takes to produce publishable, serious media contributions.
MAZ
The MAZ - The Swiss School of Journalism - is an institution supported and recognized by the media industry for the training and further education of media professionals of all kinds, where professionals from the field teach and train. The MAZ in Lucerne offers students insights into the craft of journalism, its basic rules and interesting examples from training.
Radio Argovia
How is news made? How do I make a radio report? What does it take to make a radio program? Radio Argovia offers a look behind the microphone. Together with radio professionals, pupils produce their own news program, write moderations and present them at the microphone.
Radio SRF 3
At Radio SRF 3, the students are part of the editorial team from the planning meeting to the broadcast review and work on the daily program. The "Büsser am Mittag" program is designed together with the producer and the presenter and questions for the lunchtime quiz are researched. At the end, the pupils are allowed to act as referees on air.
Radio SRF Virus
How is a radio program created? How is the music put together? What are the tasks of a radio presenter? What does he/she do while the songs are playing? Pupils find answers to these questions as co-presenters on Radio SRF Virus, where they actively help to create a program and also prepare the news for the online channel.
Swiss News Agency SDA
At the SDA, pupils learn which criteria are used to select news items, how news is structured, how facts are verified and what role social media plays. They are then allowed to film a current topic with their smartphone and receive an introduction to editing techniques from a video professional.
SRF (young target groups)
How does SRF find suitable protagonists for its SRF video formats for young target groups? How does the editorial team find out whether their statements and stories are true? How are fake views and fake likes or fake profiles on social media channels recognized? The creators explain their work. Afterwards, the participants do their own research in groups.
SRF daytime news
Tagesschau invites two classes to visit SRF television. The classes get to know the day-to-day workings of the editorial office at close quarters and take a guided tour of SRF. Three pupils from these two classes then work together with an editor and a cameraman to produce a television report.
Tages-Anzeiger / SonntagsZeitung
At Tages-Anzeiger/SonntagsZeitung, a class has the opportunity to spend two days getting to know the editorial team. In addition to visiting the editorial office and the newsroom, pupils can work with experienced VJs to launch a video project on the topic of young people's media consumption, in which they themselves will work in front of and behind the camera.
Watson
One morning, the Watson editor-in-chief explains the editorial team to the participating students and how the media's traditional information mandate must be fulfilled in the digital age. The students then propose their own stories. The best project will be developed and published under the guidance of the editorial team.
Zambo
Zambo offers a reporter course that explains how to conduct an exciting interview, how in-depth research works and how it should be ideally prepared for radio. Afterwards, the students see how a Zambo program is created and they take part in the discussion to determine the topic.