Fabio Flepp, Journalist, SRF

In order to help current students and recent graduates to find their way in the working world, many of our alumni shared their career story. Here the story of Fabio Flepp, Journalist for the Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen SRF in Zurich. USI Degree: Master in International Tourism, 2014.

How did you start your career?

With a lot of persistence, willingness and the correctly chosen topic for a Master thesis that made me an expert. I "have started" my career several times and it is still a constant restart in a fast changing sector. I had done an internship at SRF already between Bachelor and Masters degree. Like that I knew people that I contacted again after my graduation. A second internship followed in 2015. This time for a TV travel documentary. In 2016 my thesis (about the Gotthard railway and tourism) helped me to get a job in a TV project that focused on the travel history and tourism in the Gotthard region. Once again this helped me to become a “tri-medial” trainee at SRF 2017-2019, where I learnt how to make TV, radio and online journalism. And I just finished that now.

Why did you choose a career at Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen SRF?

Since high school I knew that I wanted to work either in journalism or tourism. If possible to combine both of it. SRF is Switzerland’s only public broadcaster and there was no other option or choice for me. Working for SRF allows me to dive into new topics and themes nearly every day, to learn, to explore and to tell stories.

What is your current role/duties?

For the last two years I’ve mostly worked for the TV news (Schweiz aktuell/ Tagesschau / 10vor10). My duties were coming up with ideas. Doing research in newspapers, in our archives, calling people, filter the web. To go out into the field with a camera(wo)man and interview people. Film scenes. To edit the filmed material with a video editor, to write the text,
tell stories and speak it.
In March 2019 I changed to Radio SRF1, Switzerland’s most listened radio channel. I work for the online team. We write articles connected to the topics in the radio shows. Ask the community on social media about their opinions. And bring those online comments back on air in the radio.

In your opinion, what are the qualities necessary for a successful career at Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen SRF?

One must like working with a lot of people. Being interested in various things. At the same time in the news sector a specialization is the key in the future (expert in economy, expert in migration topics, knowing Chinese…). Languages help a lot.

What are USI’s positive featuresand qualities?

USI was my Erasmus at home. I grew up in the German speaking part of Switzerland, moved to Lugano an Italian speaking city and studied with colleagues from all over the world in English. I enjoyed USIs smallness. Personal meetings also with professors were possible and easy to arrange. In our masters program we were a group of 30 classmates and not
invisible I a huge crowd. One big plus is USIs location in Lugano. Loving mountain biking and hiking it was a paradise for me in Lugano.

What competences and/or skills acquired in your USI Study Program have been useful/are useful to your professional career?

To approach people. Talk to strangers. Making contacts for the future. Doing practical field work, especially the master thesis.

What is your advice to USI students entering the job market?

My advice: When you get to the point when you have to write your thesis. Choose a topic that fascinates you and that is useful for the non-academic outside world as well and not just for your bookshelf. My thesis “the touristic future on and along the Gotthard railway” opened many doors for me. I also wrote a media release about it and newspapers wrote about it.