She is one of the last big crowd favorites at SRF: Mona Vetsch (47). While many long-time colleagues are turning their backs on the Leutschenbach, the Thurgau native is really blossoming. With formats such as “Mona in the middle” and “Reporter Special – Mona Vetsch asks about it”, she has become the woman for sensitive topics in recent years.
SonntagsBlick: For your SRF formats you get to know a wide variety of personalities. What story gave you courage?
Mona Vetsch: I think it’s amazing how strongly people deal with very hard blows of fate. If you meet such people on a regular basis, you realize that we “jomere” far too quickly about unimportant things. For “Mona Vetsch asks about” I met the boy Emil and his family. When he was little, his grandfather ran over him with a tractor. It was incredibly difficult for the family. Father and mother then separated. I met both of them for an interview and they showed me how they came to terms with each other so that the child would be fine. Although their relationship has broken up, they still live in the same house. Only one thing counts for her: that Emil is doing as well as possible. For this they put everything on hold that concerns the personal between them. They had every reason to “Jomere”. But instead of falling into self-pity, they are strong and dedicated. For me, they are true heroes and role models.
And what fates still rob you of your sleep today?
I sleep good. But there are many encounters that keep coming to my mind. For example my conversations in neonatology. People still write to me today that they were very touched by our report or that they are also on the Neo with their baby.
Do you still keep in touch with people who were in one of your shows?
Keeping in touch with everyone is not possible with so many people I have met. But it’s always the case that people stay with me and we even meet again later. For example Mefia and Beda from Ghana, whom I visited for «There and Away».
Farmer’s daughter, punk, TV star
Raised as a farmer’s daughter in the canton of Thurgau, Mona Vetsch (47) initially studied at the HSG. She dropped out of college to pursue a career in journalism. She became known in 1997 as a presenter with a blue punk hairstyle for the SRF youth program “Oops!”. For 17 years she was the morning voice on Radio SRF 3 and is now one of the most popular faces on Swiss television. Vetsch lives in Zurich with her husband and three children.
Raised as a farmer’s daughter in the canton of Thurgau, Mona Vetsch (47) initially studied at the HSG. She dropped out of college to pursue a career in journalism. She became known in 1997 as a presenter with a blue punk hairstyle for the SRF youth program “Oops!”. For 17 years she was the morning voice on Radio SRF 3 and is now one of the most popular faces on Swiss television. Vetsch lives in Zurich with her husband and three children.
Do such stories leave a kind of “wear and tear” on one’s own body?
No, I’m not shooting 365 days a year. These are short moments, and then I’m back in the office longer.
Where do you get the energy from to keep engaging in intense, emotional conversations?
There are days when I want to be by myself. I then like to go into my garden or muck out the chickens. Because I deal with reality a lot in my job, I also have escape worlds. I’m a big fantasy fan of audiobooks, books and movies. I’m probably already a little nerd.
How do you manage to keep raising your seemingly limitless interest?
That just belongs to me. I see it as a privilege to be able to ask such personal questions. My goal is to be able to understand people and their lives.
What challenges you the most in such conversations?
I was recently in Lenk in the Bernese Oberland with women who had fled from the Ukraine. It’s at moments like this that I realize that I don’t know how much I’m allowed to ask now. May I ask how you are doing – or is that too trivial, almost a stupid question when someone’s son is fighting in the war? To this day, I’m unsure about such situations.
How do you decide if a question is appropriate?
I trust my gut feeling. Many sufferers find that circling around and not asking the obvious is a worse solution. In advance, however, I also talk to my producers, who conduct intensive preliminary talks. For me, the yardstick is: Would I want someone to ask me this question?
Which topics are taboo for you personally?
As a family, we decided from the start that we wouldn’t show our kids. I talk about my family, but I don’t do home stories with them. If at some point they can decide for themselves, they are welcome to go public.
You’ve been with SRF since 1997. What keeps you at the Leutschenbach for so long?
It has great people! Especially with my “DOK” team, I get to realize exciting projects with great people. When I enter the building, I still enjoy it. As long as I feel valued and enjoy my work, there is no reason for me to change. In this long time at SRF I was able to do so many different things: radio, the “club” or currently, for example, the reports “Mona mittendrin” or “Auf und weg”. I am very curious and always need something new. I don’t want to stop.
The list of long-standing figureheads who have left the SRF is long. Have you had moments when something new would have appealed to you?
No, that moment has not yet come. I found a place with the “DOK” team that suits me extremely well. From radio to television – I had many opportunities to develop myself further. But not everyone who goes does so because they no longer liked it, but because the person feels the need to learn something new. For me, farewells like that of Jann Billeter, with whom I did “SRF Spezial”, that of Ueli Schmezer, with whom I also stood in front of the camera, or that of Reto Scherrer, with whom I started private radio, were natural a pity every time. But I congratulated everyone and said: “Good move! I hope that’s true for you and we’ll see each other again soon.”
You address the topic of further development: What else would appeal to you?
I can’t think of anything. That’s probably the sign that I’m very happy at the moment. (laughs)
The latest “Reporter Special” episode is about the relationship to your own body. How has this changed for you over the years?
When you’re young, the body is primarily something that needs to look good. When you’re my age, you realize that the body is something that has to function and be healthy above all. When I was young, there was a lot of stress on my body. When I had children, I realized what an incredible feat my body can do. I’ve learned to appreciate my body – and I take the rest with humor.
The topics of the four “Reporter Spezial” programs are very serious and seem “heavy” for a Sunday evening. Was it always clear to show them on the “Krimi-Platz”?
I think it’s the right decision. We use the “Tatort” break to provide attractive in-house productions such as “Reporter Spezial” with a good slot. I think that in times when money is getting less and not more, you should position your own productions with a connection to Switzerland in good broadcasting slots. In this way we can also offer the viewers something good, because we want to be close to the people with our public service offerings. But at the end of the day, of course, I don’t make such decisions as the moderator.
Your programs regularly ensure dream ratings. With more attention comes more criticism. How do you deal with that?
Bad – like all people. I think criticism hits and hurts you. This is still the case after more than 20 years in the industry. Over time, however, you learn to distinguish which criticism is important in terms of content and which brings you forward. If someone doesn’t like me as a person, I – and the critic – have to be able to live with it.
SRF shows the two “Reporter Special – Mona Vetsch asks about” episodes every Sunday at 8:05 p.m. on SRF 1.