World Radio Switzerland

ABE: E-cigarettes—quitter's best friend or new health hazard?

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:07:45 UT

Electronic cigarettes can’t legally be marketed as a tool to quit smoking—and no studies have been conducted to prove their effectiveness against nicotine addiction—but that’s why 95% of e-cigarette users smoke them. The ones sold in Switzerland are nicotine-free, so what do they contain? ABE, the Consumer Show clears the air:

Audio Bahn: Searching for the best DJs in the world

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:00:02 UT

Simon Cowell launches yet another X Factor and is now on the search for the best unknown disc jockeys lingering in the shadows. So host Laura Leishman finds three of the world’s top deejays to give her tips on how to win, and as usual rolls out some of her favourite tracks:

ABE: Off-piste ski safety tips from the pros

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:14:27 UT

Feel the need to make your mark in the fresh powder? Untouched snow has lured many a skier off-piste, but freeride skiing and snowboarding can pose tremendous risks, many of which are not obvious. So before you ski off the beaten path—and certainly before you let your kids—get informed. And on- or off-piste, the right equipment can save your life and limbs. ABE, the Consumer Show seeks professional advice from Jacques Richon, a guide, surgeon and rescue worker, and freeride celebrity Cyril Néri:

more WRS coverage on skiing

ABE: Putting ski helmets to the test

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:30:02 UT

The range of models and prices varies widely, but every ski helmet should come with the guarantee of effective head protection. ABE, the Consumer Show puts eight popular brands to the test and finds that the level of protection varies widely too—but not necessarily in parallel with the price tag:

more WRS coverage on children, skiing

ABE: How to choose the right ski helmet

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:54:05 UT

Lightweight and comfortable, these days the ski helmet has become a fashion accessory. There are those with visors, neck supports and even integrated mp3 players. Six out of ten Swiss in the French speaking area now strap on a helmet along with their skis, and most kids won’t be seen on the slopes without them—a good thing as the consequences of not wearing one can be dire. ABE, the Consumer Show asks experts how to choose the right helmet:

WRS Music Review 2011: Laura Leishman

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:30:20 UT

Laura Leishman, host of WRS’s own Audio Bahn, responds to Alex Helmick’s challenge to weed through the year’s entire catalog of music and select just five of its very best songs. And yes, Adele is on her list, but before you accuse her of being predictable, think back to the “wow” moment when you first heard her 21 album. Plus, Laura’s chosen a remix:

Is green tea really good for your health?

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 06:30:02 UT

The growing popularity of green tea is putting into question the much touted health benefits of the trendy beverage. For thousands of years, green tea has been thought to increase the drinker’s life span, detoxify the body and even cure cancer. ABE, the Consumer Show looks into some of the common myths about green tea:

ABE: Antioxidants or pesticides—what's in your green tea?

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 06:30:01 UT

The tea market is booming in Switzerland. Shops are popping up everywhere, hoping to introduce you to the art of tea and all its subtleties. But you don’t always know what else might be lurking in your tea leaves. ABE, the Consumer Show tests some commonly sold brands of green tea—particularly trendy at the moment—for traces of pesticide and antioxidant content with some shocking results:

more WRS coverage on consumers

ABE: The decline of the local video store

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:30:01 UT

If video on demand is the movie delivery system of the future, where does that leave the poor folks at your friendly neighbourhood video store? The number of video clubs in Switzerland has decreased drastically in recent years, and the ones that are left rent only half as many videos as they did five or six years ago—but don’t count the survivors out just yet:

Video on demand: Too good to be true?

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:30:01 UT

First VHS, and then DVDs lured us out of movie theaters. Now VOD, or video on demand, services have eliminated the need to move away from the television at all. A few clicks of the remote control and the opening credits are rolling in your own home theater. But as good as it sounds, the offer isn’t always worth the price of membership. ABE, the Consumer Show looks into VOD services available in Switzerland:

more WRS coverage on consumers

Suitcases that stand the test of time

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 06:30:01 UT

Is your luggage up for another holiday travel season? If you’re thinking of retiring your beat up old suitcase to buy sturdy new travel gear, you’ll want to make sure you get the durability you paying for. ABE, the Consumer Show tests 12 different suitcases found in stores around Switzerland and discovers that the most expensive baggage is not always the best:

What's really in your lamb kebab?

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:29:56 UT

Lamb? Think again. It would seem your odds of a lamb kebab purchased in the Swiss Romand actually containing lamb, and only lamb, are slim. ABE, the Consumer Show sent kebabs ordered from restaurants across French-speaking Switzerland to the lab and found that—knowingly or not—nearly all of the vendors are deceiving their customers:

more WRS coverage on consumers

Turkey, home of the original doner kebab

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:30:01 UT

They are the eastern rival to the cheeseburger and we consume more than 600 tons of them in Switzerland every month. However, a different version of this delicious but high-calorie meal that originated in Turkey is found today in Europe. ABE, the Consumer Show visits the birthplace of the kebab to discover its age-old roots and what is actually in it:

Stevia, a natural replacement for aspartame?

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:19:54 UT

Supermarket shelves are full of products containing supposedly harmless calorie-free synthetic sweeteners. But do they pose any risks? More and more studies warn against the excessive use of these artificial sweeteners, many of which are found where you might least expect. ABE, the Consumer show investigates how aspartame became so prevalent, and how a new “natural” sweetener, stevia, is fighting hard for EU approval:

A quick guide to artificial sweeteners

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 05:30:01 UT

Synthetic sweeteners—and particularly aspartame—are at the heart of a long-bubbling controversy. Are they really harmless sugar substitutes? Recent studies seem to question that claim. What about ones that claim to be based on “natural sugars”? And how do you recognize the various sweeteners in the products you buy? Product labels are far from being clear, so ABE, the Consumer Show runs you through the different categories and names of common sweeteners found in your food: