The last Franconian crime scene with Dagmar Manzel was seen on Sunday. Which leads directly to Manfred Hofmann, who in 2015 spoke to the SZ about a declaratory judgment action against Bayerischer Rundfunk. In the area of series production, a supreme discipline for state broadcasters, the BR – according to its working thesis – proceeds exactly like this: “Always only Old Bavaria, Old Bavaria, Old Bavaria.” That is simply unfair and does not correspond to the principle of equal treatment.
Quite a few probably have a clear (and manageably positive) image of people who notoriously worry about alleged regional disadvantage. There is also a, which varies depending on the region, Technical term for this: chronic whining Franke, or whining Swabian.
Only: The petitioner Hofmann does not correspond at all to the mental picture of the querulous regional whiner. The lawyer seems more like someone who is simply trying to state facts using the analytical tools available to lawyers – and some empirical effort.
Of course, empirical evidence would hardly be needed for this. If you think briefly about which – enthralling – BR series have become legends in the Republic and where they were regionally located, you will hardly find certain areas of the series in Bavaria. Others do: Munich Stories, Somehow and Anyway, The Caretaker, Police Inspectorate I, Monaco Franze and so on.
Hofmann complained about that. However, as a Bamberger, I didn’t want to see this hurting my regional honor. But just point out that this is not okay (in view of the fact that broadcasting contributions are the same everywhere). And not least because the advertising impact of such fantastically made television productions cannot be overestimated. And – as a state broadcaster – I simply produce a distorted image of that very country.
Of course, the lawyer expected the usual mocking reflexes. Yes, should the BR have forgone even one of these famous series – in favor of regional proportional representation? Of course not. But a fee-financed broadcaster should also undertake such experiments in other regions of Bavaria in at least an approximately comparable way, says the lawyer.

Farewell to the “crime scene”
:Now is a good time
Dagmar Manzel says goodbye to the Franconian “crime scene” – not with a bang, but the way she played her detective: with style. A meeting with someone who sees clearly.
Why should we remember this? Well, 20 years ago, voices became unmistakable as to whether – as bold and exotic as it might sound to some – a “crime scene” from the north of Bavaria would somehow be appropriate (WDR and SWR had been locating their “crime scenes” there for decades at several locations), the ridicule could hardly be contained.
Neither were the counterarguments that could be heard in (not always official) conversations with BR people at the time. They basically went like this: no money, no suitable actors, 160 kilometers away, dialect difficult to convey, no desire, no good production conditions, poor ratings expectations, not Munich – and why at all?
At some point the pressure became too great; the first crime scene from Franconia was visible nine years ago. Today it is considered – oh wonder, oh wonder one of the most popular in the republic.
The thing with the series? The BR has certainly made attempts in the spirit of the lawyer Hofmann. Rather timid ones, however. It’ll be fine.
And what about the lawsuit? Of course it seems extremely humorless, but Hofmann didn’t submit it after all. But keep that in mind, he says when asked.