Study: Press Council should advise and not sanction
Although the Swiss Press Council is perceived as competent and fair, its impact on day-to-day work is considered to be low. According to the participants in a study, the media's self-regulatory body should have an advisory role, but no powers to impose sanctions.
Although the Swiss Press Council is perceived as competent and fair, its impact on day-to-day work is rated as low. This is the result of a new study. The self-regulatory body of the media is considered to have more understanding for the work of the media than the judiciary due to its professional competence, as the Press Council announced on Tuesday. Nevertheless, the media professionals surveyed do not want to grant it any sanctioning powers.
And although the Press Council is regarded as fair and competent, its opinions are hardly ever discussed in editorial offices. At the same time, however, the body's function as a "guideline" for the rapidly changing industry is considered important and desired.
Focus on advisory functionAccording to the study, the Press Council should make its advisory function better known. In addition, the code of professional ethics and the guidelines should be more closely linked to the quality assurance and reflection processes in the editorial offices.
The study was conducted by the Institute of Applied Media Studies (IAM) at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences on behalf of the Swiss Press Council Foundation. Last year, 50 deliberately selected "skeptics" and "euphorics" from the participants in an online survey were interviewed in depth.
Binding conclusions have not yet been drawn, writes the Press Council. It now wants to wait and see whether or not the currently discussed inclusion of the SRG and publishers in the foundation's sponsorship comes about.
And although the Press Council is regarded as fair and competent, its opinions are hardly ever discussed in editorial offices. At the same time, however, the body's function as a "guideline" for the rapidly changing industry is considered important and desired.
Focus on advisory functionAccording to the study, the Press Council should make its advisory function better known. In addition, the code of professional ethics and the guidelines should be more closely linked to the quality assurance and reflection processes in the editorial offices.
The study was conducted by the Institute of Applied Media Studies (IAM) at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences on behalf of the Swiss Press Council Foundation. Last year, 50 deliberately selected "skeptics" and "euphorics" from the participants in an online survey were interviewed in depth.
Binding conclusions have not yet been drawn, writes the Press Council. It now wants to wait and see whether or not the currently discussed inclusion of the SRG and publishers in the foundation's sponsorship comes about.
