“today’s Journal”
Moderator with a reporter’s eye: Christian Sievers
Christian Sievers will be the main presenter of the ZDF news program “heute journal”. Photo: Jana Kay / ZDF / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
From this Monday he will be the successor to Claus Kleber at ZDF “heute journal” and millions of people already know him: Christian Sievers. How he looks at his job, what he wants to change.
Millions of TV viewers have to get used to it – at least a little. Claus Kleber quit after almost 20 years as the main presenter on the ZDF news program “heute journal”. His successor is the journalist Christian Sievers.
But many have known him for a long time: he has been a ZDF news presenter for years and is a well-known face of the station. On Monday (10.1., 9.45 p.m.) the 52-year-old will start as the main presenter of the high-rated news program, alternating with Marietta Slomka.
New rhythm of life
Before he started, Sievers told the German Press Agency: “Something is changing in your head. It’s a new rhythm of life that I have to adjust to. ” Practically every second week of the year one devotes oneself completely to this program. Alone when it comes to working hours. His predecessor, Kleber, had a decisive influence on the program, “and, of course, this task is always a huge journalistic challenge.”
Sievers, who was born in Offenbach, Hesse, has been working for public broadcasters for decades, most of the time for ZDF. The journalist, who studied law, has held various positions there since the late 1990s. Including as moderator and editor of the programs “heute” and “heute noon”. Also as a moderator, editor and reporter for the “ZDF morning magazine” in Berlin. Sievers also presented projections and analyzes for election programs.
In a duo with Hanna Zimmermann
Before he was seen as the presenter of the 7pm “today” show on the second from autumn 2014 until recently, he temporarily headed the ZDF foreign studio in Tel Aviv and was a Middle East correspondent. Since 2013 he has also moderated the “heute journal” from time to time. Now it is becoming a fixture in the format. In 2021, an average of 4.15 million people tuned into the show. Sievers will form a new duo with Hanna Zimmermann, who will co-present the news blocks. The journalist, born in 1988, has so far moderated the late edition of the news on ZDF.
When asked about the future and impulses for “heute journal”, Sievers said: “First of all:“ heute journal ”is doing a lot right. This is a great crew who make a high-precision program – new every evening. ” He added that there were two points on which he would like to be more involved, because that had suffered a little during the pandemic: “First, the surprise effect. I think we can be even more surprising. ” In the presentation of the current events, in some places one could go down an unconventional route, “sometimes with a twinkle in the eye”.
The 52-year-old also mentioned this: “As a 7pm presenter on ZDF, I always had the opportunity to go out and make reports myself. I would like to continue and reinforce that in “heute journal”. ” Sievers said: “I have always been a reporter and will always remain a reporter at heart.” He believes that it is very important for a moderator to know from personal experience what he is talking about. “As a Middle East correspondent, I noticed again and again that when you talk about the situation in Gaza, for example, it makes a difference whether you have experienced for yourself how small this region is and how closely – spatially – everything is connected. »
How to deal with criticism
During the pandemic, public service broadcasting is enjoying increasing popularity and the number of users has increased, while at the same time one can read harsh criticism and hatred in social networks. During demos and unannounced protests by opponents of the corona vaccination, the media and journalists come into focus. How can one find something in common again? Sievers said: “99.9 percent of the people who speak to me in the supermarket or on the train are incredibly nice and open. That doesn’t mean that they don’t criticize too. ” Many thanked for the work. «People seem to feel that journalism is currently coming under more pressure. There is a large majority who trust us in what we do. “
The journalist added: “Then there are people who do something that is the greatest insult to a journalist and reporter. Namely to say: “You are lying.” It’s like saying to the baker: “You can’t handle flour.” It’s the ultimate approach. ” In the case of these people, if you talk to them, he noticed that most of them hadn’t even watched the programs. «I discover few people who are chanting” lying press “across the board and who can say what they would actually use to fix that.”
Sievers concluded: “What we can really do, and that is my wish and my idea for the future: To report every day as well, as professionally and as perfectly as we can – to make it as great as possible To convince part of the people. “