Roger Elsener named new SRF director: Who is the man set to lead Swiss television?
It's official: Roger Elsener is the new director of Swiss Radio and Television. The successor to Nathalie Wappler has been confirmed. But let's be honest: Would you have recognised him straight off? In the high-stakes game for the most powerful chair at Leutschenbach, the new man in charge is Elsener, Roger Elsener. A murmur went through newsrooms from Bern to Zurich: Roger who? And it's precisely this murmur that makes the whole thing so intriguing.
The 55-year-old doesn't come from the industry. He's an outsider in the truest sense. For years, he steered automotive supplier Rieter through turbulent times, later chairing the Swissmem industry association. A seasoned manager, certainly. But a media person? Opinions are divided here. Some, particularly in business-friendly circles, whisper: Finally, someone who knows how to run an operation, who can keep costs under control and tighten the belt when advertising revenue dries up. Others, the industry's core staff, experienced journalists, furrow their brows. Word has it he lacks a feel for programming, the instinct for the cultural remit.
Fact is: Roger Elsener is currently a relative unknown to most people in this country. Someone not from the guild, but suddenly calling the shots. The SRF board of directors elected him unanimously – that carries weight and shows those in charge are solidly behind him. But whether he truly understands the game is something he'll have to prove. It's like football: a good manager doesn't need to have been a world-class player, but he must have his squad under control and understand the tactics. From those close to him, you hear they're curious to see how he'll handle SRF's often distinctive culture.
It'll be a few more months before he officially takes command. But the major challenges awaiting him are well known. They boil down to these three tough nuts to crack:
- Programme Policy: Will he stick with the strong regional roots that define SRF, or push for leaner, centralised structures, as critics have long demanded?
- The Digital Wave: How quickly and how radically must he overhaul the linear channels to still reach the younger generation? The future is Play SRF, and the new man knows it.
- Political Pressure: The debate over the licence fee has never gone away. How does Elsener Roger plan to navigate the corporation through this without it ending up in flames? They'll be watching him closely in the corridors of the Federal Palace.
His predecessor shaped the broadcaster significantly towards social and cultural issues, leaving behind an organisation that's in decent shape but facing enormous upheaval. Will Roger Elsener be the gentle reformer or the hard-nosed turnaround specialist? Perhaps what's needed is exactly that: a mix of business management know-how and the necessary sensitivity for this particular institution. One thing's for sure: it won't be dull with him. The pressure is immense, and so are the expectations. We, the audience, can watch with interest to see what face SRF shows under his leadership.