Jan Böhermann takes his ZDF Magazin Royale into the winter break after the first year. Time to look back – and take a look at Facebook. The TV review.
Since Jan Böhmermann switched to the main ZDF program with his ZDF Magazin Royale, we have been following the format critically at this point. Our criticism turns out to be enthusiastic, for example when Jan Böhmermann with his crew gleefully picks up the dangerous trash that the Axel Springer Group is throwing up with its Bild-Zeitung in a media public that is far too susceptible for that. Sometimes with a lump in his throat, when Böhmermann too often pulls overlooked grievances into the light of a public, such as the contempt for human beings wanted by the EU in the Moria 2 camp on Samos.
At one point or another we have criticized a little disappointed when the valuable airtime on Friday evening is wasted on less relevant topics such as the cheeky but harmless charlatanism with CBD. Or for any wannabe profiler who let off steam in completely dispensable True Crime formats.
In doing so, we are guided by the claim of the satirist Jan Böhmermann, who is mutating more and more into a serious presenter of investigative research. This claim is formulated as follows on the main page of ZDF Magazin Royale in the ZDF media library: “Entertainment and relevance in a new dimension. The roots of the late night show combined with journalistic research – welcome to the new era of social satire with Jan Böhmermann. “
ZDF Magazin Royale: Jan Böhmermann promises relevance and entertainment in a new dimension
So entertainment and relevance. In a new dimension. So if our reviews now and then seem as if we expect nothing less than relevance, then we are simply demanding what we are promised. Now the ZDF Magazin Royale, which reached the main program a little more than a year ago, is taking its winter break. So it’s time to look back on the season. And whether the promise of relevance and entertainment in this ominous new dimension has been kept.
The answer is obvious. Let me take the liberty of quoting the hit of my generation, perhaps. Fat bread. 1996. The word that still brings whole clubs to roar with in pleasant memories: yes and no. In fact, there was a lot of relevance to it. The edition, in which Sebastian Kurz and his turquoise state in the state were filleted both visually and in terms of content, can be singled out as the best edition so far. Relevant in terms of content, cheeky in tone and also visually outstanding. The studio, which became turquoise with every cut, up to the total turquoise series: Hats off.
Moria 2, the “raid” in German interior ministries, the human rights violations identified by the disgusting European agency for the border and coast guard Frontex, the unearthing of neo-Nazi structures in Saxony and in the German police. The unmasking of the AfD-affiliated Erasmus Foundation and Nazi laws, which still today mostly send poor dodgers to jail: That was television that can hardly be found linearly today and especially of a younger generation, which the format aims at could have opened his eyes again and again.
The ZDF Magazin Royale with Jan Böhmermann was a surprise bag in its first year
Other editions, True Crime, CBD, influencers in Dubai, the whole fuss about the “sensation” that professional football enjoys a privileged position in Germany would not have been missed if it had not existed. And then there were the handpicked editions that were almost reminiscent of the old Neo magazine, including the wonderful edition on the madness of the gossip press or the lousy musical “The Egg Throwing from Halle”.
The ZDF magazine was a surprise bag in its first year. Week after week. We never knew beforehand what was inside. Sometimes we were excited, sometimes shocked, sometimes disappointed and now and then also bored. But the feeling never came up that I wouldn’t want to switch on again next week. And that alone is a quality feature for a format that has set itself the task of setting topics that have too often flown under the radar of the media and social public.
The current and last episode before the winter break brings the first year to a worthy end. As Böhmermann says with relish and contempt, it is about “the TikTok for the ugly”, about “the Twitter for stupid”, about “the telegram for landline phone users”. It’s about: Facebook. And the “Facebook Papers”, about all the leaked machinations that were made public for the first time in an epic and ugly breadth by the former Facebook employee Frances Haugen and others.
Jan Böhmermann: Facebook tolerates human trafficking, propaganda from dictatorships and damage to the world
It is about human trafficking tolerated by the Facebook group, which ultimately brings in advertising income in the six-figure range – per year. About accepted human rights violations, about cuddling up to dictatorships, about the fact that, as Jan Böhmermann says, Facebook harms the world. And that knows. Because Facebook is home to a third of humanity and so would be the largest country in the world, it would be one. And as such, it would be a solid autocracy that is currently striving to become just that. Own subsidiary government, subsidiary laws, means and channels of payment included.
For spoiler reasons, more should not be revealed at this point. For this purpose, there is a specific request at this point, an urgent appeal: watch this episode. At least if you use either Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp. Since you surely do, I like to repeat: Look. She. Himself. The. On. Or click here: expropriatedfacebook.global
Jan Böhmermann creates a masterpiece with the last episode of ZDF Magazin Royale before the winter break
With their final before the winter break, Jan Böhmermann and his brilliant team have created another masterpiece that doesn’t have to hide from the Sebastian Kurz, Moria 2 and Axel Springer editions. And thus made you want more. If you can call it that, voluntarily prepared satirically every week to rub the madness and the ugliest sides of our society under your nose. And still does it again and again. Because it has to be.
“ZDF Magazin Royale” with Jan Böhmermann
“The Facebook Papers”, ZDF, from Friday, December 10th, from 11pm. On the net: ZDF media library.
If you find Jan Böhmermann somehow stupid or if you have avoided ZDF Magazin Royale for other good reasons, I strongly recommend that you at least let it be five on one or two Friday evenings from 11 p.m. on ZDF. Take a look. Just like I enjoyed doing and writing about it week after week. Again today, with my last Böhmermann criticism at this point. (Mirko Schmid)
