Confidential Information about the Bayerischer Rundfunk (do not share!)

„Guten Morgen und herzlich willkommen bei BAYERN 1!“

Do you see what I did there??
Yeah, I chose this one intro on purpose, because today I’m here to tell you three secrets I discovered during a class field trip to the famous Bayerischer Rundfunk!
Yes, I’ll share them.
No, you won’t tell on me!!

On October 23rd, my class and I visited the BR radio headquarters and even though it was a rainy, windy day, we immediately received a warm welcome. After a quick round of introductions, we began our tour of the building at Arnulfstraße 42 (which is huge, by the way).
Everyone was full of questions and excitement as we set off through the studios and corridors of this iconic Munich place.

(here’s also a picture of a radio studio)

Now, before getting to the secrets as promised, I want to spike your curiosity even more by by telling you an interesting fact about the values behind BR, so that you can comprehend better why it’s such a unique institution. The Bayerischer Rundfunk began broadcasting in 1924, but during the rise of Nazism it was taken over by the regime and used for propaganda. Only after the Second World War, in 1949, was it restored to the Bavarian government and re-established as an independent and neutral broadcaster. This independence is made possible by a national system: every household in Germany pays around 20 euros per month to support public broadcasting and ensure that content remains free from political or commercial influence.

This really made me think about how things work back home in Italy. There, we also pay a broadcasting fee (the so-called Canone RAI), which is about 90 euros per year, but the meaning behind it is somewhat different. As a matter of fact, even though RAI is supposed to be a public and neutral broadcaster, its channels often reflect slightly different viewpoints and political leanings. In addition, Italy has a long list of private radio stations, each managed and financed in its own way, which adds even more variety, but not necessarily neutrality.

After this quick comparison, which I find really worth reflecting on, it’s finally time to ✨reveal the three secrets✨ I discovered during our BR adventure:

1. Though you probably did not know it, Bavarian folk music still plays on BR! It’s part of their mission to help the older generation feel included – you can tune into BR Heimat for that.
2. We met the amazing moderator Susanne Rohrer, who showed us how news, traffic, and music updates are prepared live. Everything is set up early in the morning and can change at any moment. It takes serious improvisation skills!
3. Sound effects for radio plays are still made the old-fashioned way! You thought it was all AI huh! However they are re-created in real rooms that look like theatres, where footsteps, door slams, and clinking dishes are all recreated by hand.

So now you know my secrets. But remember, you can’t tell anyone! I trust you with this inside information…
I’ll be back with more soon, so stay tuned because I’ll update you before you even notice : )