The fuss about child reporters in the election campaign says more about adults than about children

by time news

BerlinChild reporter Alexander from Berlin and his parents do not want to comment anymore when asked. Since Alexander interviewed the AfD candidate Tino Chrupalla on the ZDF program “Logo!”, The 13-year-old has been a little celebrity. The video became a hit online and Chrupalla couldn’t come up with a favorite poem when asked. Alexander’s innocent way of uncovering contradictions of the politician was widely praised.

But then the public noticed other child-like questioners whose overly grown-up questions in turn led to questions. In the ProSieben program “Late Night Berlin”, the eleven-year-old child reporters Romeo and Pauline pestered Chancellor candidate Armin Lascht about the evacuation of the Hambach Forest or asked whether the CDU politician Hans-Georg Maaßen was a Nazi. Then the Bild newspaper also claimed that a left activist had trained a student in the ARD “election arena” before her question. The daily Die Welt finally warned against an “infantilisation of the election campaign”, wrote of the “cross-examination of child reporters”.

Much excitement about the little ones, so it’s understandable that Alexander and his parents want their peace and quiet. The program “Logo!” Is by no means considered dubious, since 1989 children’s news and reporters on ZDF have been informing the target group of 8 to 12 year olds.

“It is our goal to explain the world to children”, says “Logo!” – Director Constanze Knöchel, who is surprised by the hype about Alexander. Like other interviews, the video with Chrupalla had been in the media library since the beginning of September, then it was broadcast on a channel unknown to the broadcaster in the youth network TikTok. Then it went viral, including in the adult world.

Sack race instead of cross-examination

Cross-interrogations tend not to take place with “Logo!”, In another video Alexander challenged the Green Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock to sack races or asked why she was green on posters. “With us, children should still be children, not take on the role of journalists,” says Knöchel, although there is a preliminary talk with an editor and an exchange about interview questions, since not every child knows about politics, for example, but they do be independent in conversation.

A different impression was perhaps made during the program “Late Night Berlin”. According to the picture, the child reporters had a button in their ears through which they could have received adult support. In the conversation, Laschet asked irritably whether the children read Spiegel magazine or even knew who Hans-Georg Maaßen was. So far, Romeo and Pauline interviewed rappers in their program section, now also candidates for chancellor. The production company informs on request that both are currently not available for an interview.

Perhaps the excitement about children says something more about the adults in the election campaign, believes campaign and strategy advisor Julius van de Laar. “When a child asks a question, it is disarming, a politician cannot answer as sharply as an adult,” he says of the use of children’s questions. Nevertheless, it affects the image of the candidate in adults: “Can he get involved with the other person, is he empathic, spontaneous, authentic, does he have charisma?”

Do you really have to protect candidates for chancellor from children?

In conversations with adults, politicians show this less and less and seem trapped in their roles. Even seasoned journalists rarely manage to lure them out of their reserves in talk format without appearing aggressive. “Children, on the other hand, can ask questions directly and without hesitation,” says van de Laar, which also offers comic potential for a late-night program, he can understand that. The question is whether one therefore has to protect candidates for chancellor from children. “You are applying for the most important office in the country, these are familiar, relevant questions for all of them,” he says. A positive side effect: responses suitable for children are also easier to understand for adults.

Formats such as “Logo!” Are all about comprehensibility and eye level with children. “We’re looking for curious children, not finished journalists,” says program manager Knöchel. Nine and ten year olds can apply by video on the ZDF website, like Alexander once did. “He’s a godsend, very well informed for his age,” says Knöchel, not every child likes to ask questions. However, at the age of 13, Alexander will probably soon be too old for “Logo!” – a chance for young reporters to follow suit.

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