The new SRF studios are not working, now the project manager is leaving

SRF’s new studios don’t work – now the project manager is leaving the company

They should have gone into operation in autumn 2019. However, Swiss television is still unable to broadcast from its new studios. Technical experts cannot control problems.

Francesco Benini / ch media

A joke runs through the corridors of Leutschenbach in Zurich: What is the difference between the new SRF television studios and Berlin Brandenburg Airport? The airport finally became operational.

The new studies should have been issued as of November 2019. More than a year later, there has still been no date for commissioning. “According to the current project plan, the first broadcasts from the studio space in the new sports and news center will not be possible until mid-2021 at the earliest,” explains SRF spokesperson Stefan Wyss.

Feverish touch-ups don’t work

The continuing problems surrounding the new buildings of Swiss television are causing a scandal: the “general manager of the Leutschenbach project”, Roman Sokalski, is leaving the company. SRF Director Nathalie Wappler briefed the workforce. Stefan Wyss gives as reason “different ideas on the continuation of the development project of the Leutschenbach site”.

Roman Sokalski worked for Swiss television for five years. Initially he was director of subprojects, in early 2020 the architect was promoted and, after less than a year, he is now leaving the management position. Upon request, he did not want to give a reason for the unusually quick departure.

The use of so-called IP technology is causing problems in new studies. Groups of technicians are reportedly trying feverishly to control the problems. So far they have not succeeded. That causes additional costs. How much more does SRF have to spend due to difficulties? SRF spokesperson Wyss says:

The exact financial implications only became apparent when the project was completed.

Wyss emphasizes that the organization has been restructured and the overall complex project has been divided into several small packages. The news and sports center is “the most technically complex project” SRF has ever implemented. However, the question arises: Did the company take too great a risk when it relied on technology that has hardly been tested?

Infrastructure issues aren’t just in SRF’s new studios. A year ago, Director Wappler buried the plan that had already been drawn up for a new publishing house because she had to save. Now there are initial problems with a new editing system. It’s called “Hive”, it was developed by Sony and represents a major hurdle for publishers who cut back on contributions and were used to a different system. Individual work steps take longer. Cutters with exhaustion depressions have failed, say in Leutschenbach. Stefan Wyss says on this subject: “We do not provide any information on isolated cases of disease; However, attributing this solely to a change in the editing system certainly falls short of the mark. “

One manager after another leaves

The various problems make the mood of SRF employees depressed. “People swear like never before,” says an employee. Several working groups have been created to discuss the organizational deficits in the newsroom. Meanwhile, Chief Nathalie Wappler is making rapid progress. Not only the project manager for the buildings leaves the company, but also the director of the design and marketing division, Alex Hefter. Swiss television announced at the end of November.

Since Wappler took office in March 2019, the program manager, cultural director, head of SRF News, and several moderators have also left the station. Wappler wants to bring Swiss television into the digital age. Established TV formats, and executives who Wappler doesn’t trust to contribute to the digital conversion, fall by the wayside. (bzbasel.ch)