"A foreign correspondent's job isn't as glamorous as people may think"
Born in Switzerland, Matthias Kündig is the Miami-based foreign correspondent for the Swiss National Public Radio SRF. He was the executive producer of the evening news program «Echo der Zeit», the oldest german-speaking news program.
What do people not know about working as a foreign correspondent?
As many people associate foreign correspondents with a glamorous lifestyle – living in an international city, travelling, meeting famous people – they underestimate the amount of unglamorous work that must be done: reading original documents (laws, court files, government reports), confirming information, or endless searches to get interview-partners. Much of it takes place in a tiny office during long hours at night or on weekends - when your friends either sleep or enjoy their social life. Even some of my colleagues still wrongly assume that I am going to the beach each day. Especially being single, the job as a foreign correspondent means much loneliness.
How would you describe your journey in the US as a foreign correspondent from Switzerland?
I was thrown into the deep end. As the first correspondent of Swiss National Public Radio based in Miami, I had to build up the infrastructure on my own. Three weeks after my arrival I had to travel to Central Florida for some pre-election reports and two weeks later to Washington DC for the midterm election night, before I was even able to unpack all the boxes with my equipment and personal belongings.
Being far from the capital DC first appeared as an obstacle. But I soon learned that this provides me with a different perspective on US politics. It is sometimes easier to see that the frantic debates about “the filibuster” or “reconciliation” on Capitol Hill are of lesser concern for people in the rest of the country. For them, the cost of college education, the consequences of insufficient health coverage, or rising rents and prices are of much greater significance.
Matthias Kündig
Based on what criteria do you choose the stories to cover and report back to your country's media station? Which are the most important stories for you?
The most important criterion for me is relevance: what are the consequences of a specific event or development? Important for me are stories that help the Swiss audience understand a country that has a completely different mentality. Why does a figure like Donald Trump get so much support? Why is there such a deep mistrust between urban and rural populations?
Talking to a family of Trump supporters from a tiny town in Minnesota about these questions can be more insightful than with a republican strategist from DC. And a long conversation with a pregnant woman whose employer does not provide paid leave provides more insight than an interview with a democratic Senator about the 3.5 trillion Build Back Better Plan.
As a foreign correspondent, what is the most exciting part of your job? What are the frustrating or upsetting aspects of working as a journalist for a foreign media outlet in the US?
Most exciting are encounters with people who would probably not talk to me as a private citizen, e.g., Gabriel Sterling, Georgia’s voting system implementation manager, or the anti-racism activist Jane Elliott. Or long fruitful conversations with an elderly woman who explained to me that she must travel to Tijuana twice a year to get cheaper chemo-medication for a cancer treatment she cannot afford in the US.
Most frustrating for me is the way how many people (do not) communicate in this country. The unanswered email requests, no call-backs, very late replies to messages on Twitter, FB or text messages are countless. Nowadays I am even happy to get a short “sorry, can’t” answer.
As the Miami-based foreign correspondent for Swiss National Public Radio, how has your experience in America changed you? Has your experience here changed - if so - the way you approach journalism?
My experience here in the US has primarily taught me that it sometimes just takes patience and calm to overcome obstacles. And especially during the chaotic Trump presidency, I learned how important good planning and anticipating possible outcomes are. In breaking-news situations, you must be prepared no matter what.
Is there anything you wish you could change about your work as a foreign correspondent in America?
I would prefer more teamwork – be it in an actual team with colleagues who do the same kind of journalistic work or with more cooperation with my co-workers back in Switzerland. Journalism IS teamwork. But with mounting pressure to not just deliver the classic media vectors (in my case: radio) but also new digital formats, there is less and less time for discussion and cooperation.
What advice or message would you like to share with aspiring foreign correspondents and journalists?
Be curious, be persistent, be willing to go the extra mile. As a foreign correspondent, your work dominates your life – but it also provides you with invaluable experiences!
