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Top Stories
Parks flooded by Lake Maggiore
Tuesday, 21 May, 2013The sunny canton of Ticino has had higher than normal rainfall and very high levels in its rivers and lakes. These include the Maggia, Ticino and Tresa rivers, and the picturesque Lake Maggiore. Weather experts say the lake briefly went above 195 metres above sea level, overflowing and flooding parks close to the centre of Locarno. To hear more, WRS’s Dave Goodman talks to ourTicino correspondent, Nicole della Pietra:
Tuesday, 21 May, 2013The sunny canton of Ticino has had higher than normal rainfall and very high levels in its rivers and lakes. These include the Maggia, Ticino and Tresa rivers, and the picturesque Lake Maggiore. Weather experts say the lake briefly went above 195 metres above sea level, overflowing and flooding parks close to the centre of Locarno. To hear more, WRS’s Dave Goodman talks to ourTicino correspondent, Nicole della Pietra:
Consumer Helvetica: SBB lifts 'zero tolerance' on ticket slip-ups
Monday, 20 May, 2013In 2011 the Swiss Federal Railways decided that every passenger needed a valid ticket before getting on a train. This put a stop to the old practice of being able to buy your ticket on board. Soon, hundreds of fines were being issued every day. Customers were outraged and the complaints were flooding in. Now the Swiss Federal Railways has reacted and wants to be fairer. WRS’s Jo Fahy spoke to Martina Schnyder from Swiss Public Radio DRS’s Espresso programme:
Monday, 20 May, 2013In 2011 the Swiss Federal Railways decided that every passenger needed a valid ticket before getting on a train. This put a stop to the old practice of being able to buy your ticket on board. Soon, hundreds of fines were being issued every day. Customers were outraged and the complaints were flooding in. Now the Swiss Federal Railways has reacted and wants to be fairer. WRS’s Jo Fahy spoke to Martina Schnyder from Swiss Public Radio DRS’s Espresso programme:
Sadness, outrage at teen's murder
Friday, 17 May, 2013Where did it all go so wrong? A man referred to in the press as Claude D was released on parole seven years before the end of his 20-year sentence. Showing signs he might rape and kill again, he was ordered back to jail but won his appeal. On Monday, he struck again, and before daybreak on Wednesday, he led police to his new victim: 19-year old Marie. People are outraged and both judges and leaders in the canton of Vaud are at pains to justify a series of bad calls made along the way. WRS’s Lucas Chambers has this story:
Friday, 17 May, 2013Where did it all go so wrong? A man referred to in the press as Claude D was released on parole seven years before the end of his 20-year sentence. Showing signs he might rape and kill again, he was ordered back to jail but won his appeal. On Monday, he struck again, and before daybreak on Wednesday, he led police to his new victim: 19-year old Marie. People are outraged and both judges and leaders in the canton of Vaud are at pains to justify a series of bad calls made along the way. WRS’s Lucas Chambers has this story:
Salvation Army soldiers bank on low-key act
Thursday, 16 May, 2013Switzerland doesn’t have the best record in the Eurovision Song Contest in recent years but a group of six Salvation Army members are hoping to change that tonight. They controversially won the ticket to represent their country in Malmo in Sweden and are competing against 16 other songs this evening to win a place in Saturday’s Grand Final. Whatever happens they’ve already made Eurovision history. Ninety-five year-old Emil who plays the double bass will set a new record for being the oldest ever musician to perform on the Eurovision stage. WRS’s Dave Goodman is in Malmo and spoke to the group about why they are taking part, who they’re up against and their hopes of giving Switzerland its 3rd Eurovision win:
Thursday, 16 May, 2013Switzerland doesn’t have the best record in the Eurovision Song Contest in recent years but a group of six Salvation Army members are hoping to change that tonight. They controversially won the ticket to represent their country in Malmo in Sweden and are competing against 16 other songs this evening to win a place in Saturday’s Grand Final. Whatever happens they’ve already made Eurovision history. Ninety-five year-old Emil who plays the double bass will set a new record for being the oldest ever musician to perform on the Eurovision stage. WRS’s Dave Goodman is in Malmo and spoke to the group about why they are taking part, who they’re up against and their hopes of giving Switzerland its 3rd Eurovision win:
Retailers sign up for more safety
Wednesday, 15 May, 2013When a textile factory collapsed, killing over a thousand workers in Bangladesh last month, big fashion retailers like H&M and Benetton made a long awaited move. They’ve signed on to a binding agreement for better safety standards, and for the millions needed to implement it. Shoppers in the streets of Lausanne approve, but some critics are asking why it takes such tragedies to get results. WRS’s Lucas Chambers reports.
Wednesday, 15 May, 2013When a textile factory collapsed, killing over a thousand workers in Bangladesh last month, big fashion retailers like H&M and Benetton made a long awaited move. They’ve signed on to a binding agreement for better safety standards, and for the millions needed to implement it. Shoppers in the streets of Lausanne approve, but some critics are asking why it takes such tragedies to get results. WRS’s Lucas Chambers reports.
'Too early to say what we could do' about WRS
Thursday, 9 May, 2013The cantonal government of Geneva has written an official letter to the Federal Council expressing concern over the recent decision to close WRS. In it they say they would have liked to have been formally consulted before any decision was made and also asked for clarification about the programming plans of the successor service. They go on to say that due to Switzerland’s large international community, there is a real need for quality English-language radio to facilitate the integration of expatriates into Swiss society. WRS’s Alex Helmick talks to Olivier Coutau, delegate to International Geneva for the canton:
Thursday, 9 May, 2013The cantonal government of Geneva has written an official letter to the Federal Council expressing concern over the recent decision to close WRS. In it they say they would have liked to have been formally consulted before any decision was made and also asked for clarification about the programming plans of the successor service. They go on to say that due to Switzerland’s large international community, there is a real need for quality English-language radio to facilitate the integration of expatriates into Swiss society. WRS’s Alex Helmick talks to Olivier Coutau, delegate to International Geneva for the canton:
Geneva writes to Bern about WRS closure
Thursday, 9 May, 2013The cantonal government of Geneva has written an official letter to the Federal Council expressing concern over the recent decision to close WRS. In it they say they would have liked to have been formally consulted before any decision was made and also asked for clarification about the programming plans of the successor service. They go on to say that due to Switzerland’s large international community, there is a real need for quality English-language radio to facilitate the integration of expatriates into Swiss society.
Thursday, 9 May, 2013The cantonal government of Geneva has written an official letter to the Federal Council expressing concern over the recent decision to close WRS. In it they say they would have liked to have been formally consulted before any decision was made and also asked for clarification about the programming plans of the successor service. They go on to say that due to Switzerland’s large international community, there is a real need for quality English-language radio to facilitate the integration of expatriates into Swiss society.
How low can Swiss unemployment go?
Wednesday, 8 May, 2013Unemployment is down for the third month in a row in Switzerland. Meanwhile, it’s reaching alarmingly high levels in a number of EU countries. What’s the secret to this Swiss success? The short answer is immigration—plus state spending on health care and social services. But how long can that last? WRS’s Lucas Chambers reports:
Wednesday, 8 May, 2013Unemployment is down for the third month in a row in Switzerland. Meanwhile, it’s reaching alarmingly high levels in a number of EU countries. What’s the secret to this Swiss success? The short answer is immigration—plus state spending on health care and social services. But how long can that last? WRS’s Lucas Chambers reports:
Private media cries foul at new SBC rules
Friday, 3 May, 2013More online channels but less text and no Internet advertising—that’s essentially what’s come out of the Federal Council’s reforms to the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation concession. Swiss private media are angry, again. They say it happens every time and warn that, for a democratic country, Switzerland’s balance between private and public media is totally off. WRS’s Lucas Chambers filed this report:
Friday, 3 May, 2013More online channels but less text and no Internet advertising—that’s essentially what’s come out of the Federal Council’s reforms to the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation concession. Swiss private media are angry, again. They say it happens every time and warn that, for a democratic country, Switzerland’s balance between private and public media is totally off. WRS’s Lucas Chambers filed this report:
WRS to close at end of August
Thursday, 2 May, 2013The Federal Council yesterday made a decision about the future of World Radio Switzerland—this station. As of the end of August, WRS will no longer have an FM license, and will no longer be part of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. The decision not to issue an FM concession triggers an automatic hand-over of the station to Nyon-based Anglo Media. To begin our look at this news affecting the future of the station you’re listening to now, we hear from Francois Besencon who was in charge of the privatization process of WRS. He gave the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation’s position to WRS’s Tony Ganzer:
Thursday, 2 May, 2013The Federal Council yesterday made a decision about the future of World Radio Switzerland—this station. As of the end of August, WRS will no longer have an FM license, and will no longer be part of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. The decision not to issue an FM concession triggers an automatic hand-over of the station to Nyon-based Anglo Media. To begin our look at this news affecting the future of the station you’re listening to now, we hear from Francois Besencon who was in charge of the privatization process of WRS. He gave the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation’s position to WRS’s Tony Ganzer:
