RTL Group | Potsdam, 06/11/2018

UFA Lab Production Wins European Media Prize

The fact that a young video journalist can reports about a right-wing rock concert and speak to the organizer, a former NPD (German nationalist party) candidate, and with many attendees, is remarkable. The fact that the journalist’s name is Nemi El-Hassan and is a confident, hijab-wearing Muslim makes the episode of the UFA Lab produced Facebook video series “Jäger & Sammler” truly special. Now it has won the “European CIVIS Online Media Prize”.

The “European CIVIS Online Media Prizes” for immigration, integration and cultural diversity were presented last Thursday at the Foreign Office in Berlin. It annually honors program achievements that promote peaceful coexistence in the European immigration society. In the “Web Videos” category, the episode titled “New right-wing wave” of the UFA Lab produced Facebook video series “Jäger & Sammler” won the award.

The “New right-wing wave” episode investigates the festival “Rock gegen Überfremdung” (rock against foreign domination), which took place in 2016 and 2017 and was one of the largest neo-Nazi conventions in the history of the Federal Republic last year. Almost 6,000 right-wing extremists from across Europe traveled to the small town of Themar in the south of Thuringia on July 15, 2017. The event was scheduled as a political rally and was therefore protected by the constitution and could not be banned. Host Nemi El-Hassan, a journalist in her early twenties, reported from the right-wing rock festival and spoke with the organizer, a former NPD (German nationalist party) candidate. The editor of this episode was Kyo Mali Jung.

Quick-witted, confrontational and fearless

The jury remarked: “She is fully aware that she is being provocative. Nemi El-Hassan is a confident, hijab-wearing Muslim woman, even when at a right-wing rock concert in Themar surrounded by a bunch of bald, thickset men. The reporter braved the crowd and questioned the right-wingers – quick-witted, confrontational and fearless. She exposed the neo-Nazis’ rhetorical patterns. An outstanding journalistic achievement – a visually impressive feat.”

“Jäger & Sammler” is an online video series for 20-somethings. Each week, the investigative show deals with a new topic that is introduced on Facebook with a central video. The makers investigate political and social themes and offer room for critical, informative and confrontational debates. Most recently, the show reached more than 75,000 subscribers and achieved over 20 million video views. It is also nominated for the 2018 Grimme Online Awards. The investigative show is produced by UFA Lab in cooperation with “Frontal 21” commissioned by ZDF for Funk, the online media offering of ARD and ZDF for teens and young adults.