SRF: Change of correspondent positions in French-speaking Switzerland

Valérie Wacker has been reporting on French-speaking Switzerland for Radio SRF for two years. From the beginning of July 2024, she will become TV correspondent for the region. The 40-year-old journalist will remain based in Lausanne VD, but will change medium. "Even more out there, even closer: that's how I see making television. I'm delighted to be discovering a new medium after more than ten years in radio. Doing this in Lausanne VD is simply great," says Wacker.

Valérie Wacker has worked for SRF since 2011. During this time, she has held various positions, including host of the domestic podcast "Einfach Politik", worked in news and presented programs such as "Info3". She succeeds Felicie Notter, who is moving to Brussels with her family. Notter will remain with SRF as a freelance foreign correspondent, mainly for the Scandinavian region.

New radio correspondents

With the departure of Valérie Wacker and Andreas Stüdli, who will move to the Federal Parliament editorial team in summer 2024, both of Radio SRF's French-speaking Switzerland correspondent positions will become vacant. Roman Fillinger and Philippe Reichen will now report from French-speaking Switzerland for Radio SRF and the digital channels.

The 48-year-old Fillinger started as a presenter and editor at the former Radio DRS 2 in 2004. After several positions, including as presenter and producer of the background program "Echo der Zeit", he moved to Warsaw in 2018 as Eastern Europe correspondent. Instead of Poland, Hungary or Slovakia, Fillinger will focus on Geneva, Vaud and the Jura from September 2024. "Prochain arrêt Lausanne! I'm really looking forward to exploring the west of Switzerland soon after the east of the EU. Being able to continue working as an audio and online correspondent in French-speaking Switzerland is a huge privilege."

Philippe Reichen, a profound expert on French-speaking Switzerland, is also joining SRF. Reichen has been reporting for the Tages-Anzeiger from French-speaking Switzerland, where he repeatedly attracted attention with his research. He previously worked for the SDA and the St. Galler Tagblatt is active as a lawyer. After training as a teacher in Zurich and Freiburg im Breisgau, the 46-year-old studied general history, philosophy and constitutional law. For Philippe Reichen, the move to SRF represents a new challenge: "Being able to combine my craft as a print journalist with that of a radio journalist is an enormous privilege."