Corona reporting: SRG ombudsman's office rejects complaints
In recent months, the Independent Complaints Authority for Radio and Television (UBI) has received several complaints regarding SRF’s coverage of the coronavirus. The nine complaints were dismissed. However, during the deliberations, criticism was also voiced within the commission regarding the portrayal of COVID-19 skeptics.
Last week, the UBI deliberated on nine submissions concerning complaints about 19 publications (television 10, online 6 and radio 3), according to the SRF newsletter published on Tuesday. Regularly a one-sided representation of the skeptics of Corona measures is criticized. The complaints dealt with were directed exclusively against publications of SRF and RTS.
The complainants argued that the reports on corresponding groups always focused on problematic aspects such as proximity to conspiracy theories (QAnon) or to right-wing extremist circles. However, this concerns a small minority. The majority and their concerns are not reported on.
This criticism was also shared by members of the UBI in relation to individual contributions to the demonstrations of August 29, 2020 against the Corona measures in Berlin, it was added.
After intensive discussion, the UBI concluded that the two-part report in the "Tagesschau" main edition of August 29 also complied with the minimum requirements of programming law. The UBI dismissed the corresponding complaint by six votes to two.
The UBI unanimously rejected a complaint against the "Rundschau" report of September 9, 2020 on Corona conspiracy theories. The clearly evident focus and the transparently conveyed information allowed the audience to form its own opinion, the UBI wrote.
On the other hand, the UBI approved three complaints against a radio report by RTS on aid services provided by Cuban medical personnel abroad on May 13, 2020. The one-sided report, which concealed essential facts, had made it impossible for the audience to form its own opinion in the sense of the principle of objectivity.
For the first time, the commission said it conducted the public deliberations digitally. (SDA)
