Last but not least: The "Bööggen affair" as a journalistic lesson
The «Popel Affair»—or, in Swiss German, the «Bööggen Affair»—is in many ways a wonderful story. It tells of courage in journalism and publishing, and it even has a happy ending.
The "booger affair", or in Swiss German: the "Bööggen affair", is a beautiful story in many respects. The shortest possible version: At the Media Markt store in Wolfsburg (Lower Saxony), an employee regularly puts his boogers on the door of the men's restroom. The management is not amused and sends a letter to all male employees threatening the anonymous "dirty pig" with immediate dismissal. It also announces a hidden DNA test in order to convict the Bööggen smearer.
The letter is sent to the Braunschweiger Zeitung, which publishes the story, but without naming Media Markt. It points out that if the employees do not agree to a DNA test, the management would make itself liable to prosecution. During the investigation, Media Markt threatened to stop advertising in the regional newspaper if the story was published. The editor-in-chief is not impressed, however, and the publisher's management backs him up. The article is published.
The Braunschweiger Zeitung's stance was described by Meedia boss Georg Altrogge as a journalistic lesson - which it is, all the more so as sticking to editorial independence could have cost the newspaper an estimated 450,000 francs in advertising revenue. But the editors and publishers probably realized that giving in would have opened the door to further attempts to influence editorial reporting. Such insight and perseverance came to a happy end for once: the newspaper and Media Markt are now back in negotiations about advertising.
The letter is sent to the Braunschweiger Zeitung, which publishes the story, but without naming Media Markt. It points out that if the employees do not agree to a DNA test, the management would make itself liable to prosecution. During the investigation, Media Markt threatened to stop advertising in the regional newspaper if the story was published. The editor-in-chief is not impressed, however, and the publisher's management backs him up. The article is published.
The Braunschweiger Zeitung's stance was described by Meedia boss Georg Altrogge as a journalistic lesson - which it is, all the more so as sticking to editorial independence could have cost the newspaper an estimated 450,000 francs in advertising revenue. But the editors and publishers probably realized that giving in would have opened the door to further attempts to influence editorial reporting. Such insight and perseverance came to a happy end for once: the newspaper and Media Markt are now back in negotiations about advertising.
