Anticipatory obedience

Column Media groups are important corporate citizens. And compliant ones, as Google's self-censorship in China shows. Super RTL, of all companies, is now setting a counter-accent when two highly decorated representatives
of our globalized future meet, this can have a
This could mean a relapse into the Middle Ages. This is what happened at the end of January
of the World Economic Forum (WEF), where the founder of the currently
financially strongest media company and the deputy prime minister of the
the world's largest future market in a five-star back room.
together. In the spirit of Davos, i.e. "committed to improving
the state of the world" (the official raison d'être of the WEF)
Larry Page and Zeng Peiyan probably talked mainly about the few
days before the launch of google.cn.

In reality, the deal, in which Google has the human right to
Freedom of information and opinion versus lucrative market access
at least made the media world a little bit worse.
The very Internet search service that was once launched with missionary
zealously warned against purely profit-oriented thinking and with the company motto "Do
nothing bad", is now practicing deliberate self-censorship in order to
to secure their slice of the lavish China cake. This
abandonment of any socio-political responsibility and
all Enlightenment ideals would have to be the duty of every halfway
Make media people first angry and then activist.

Why not boycott Google?

Should be. Because in fact, between the lines of the numerous,
but toothless comments more malice than genuine indignation. "Now
the last Wall Street wonderboys of the New Economy are also gone.
the harsh reality of business," is the
The main message, especially in the business and trade press. Such
Cynicism with which many colleagues trivialize Google's treason,
is an even greater, because collective, scandal than the obscene
Opportunism of a former pacesetter and sympathizer of the
Industry.

Textile and sneaker manufacturers see themselves in the
Sweatshop suspicion confronted with increased media calls for a boycott.
There are no such appeals from media companies, although the
Manufacturers of such an abstract product as publicity today only
more cowering to concerted consumer power.

The fact that human rights organizations have not yet
was launched is a pity, but it is also
telling. For even Amnesty International (AI) obviously dares to
no confrontation with Google - probably because this also represents a global
Players like AI a few ranks on the all-important search lists
would cost.

By contrast, Super RTL is currently at the top of Google's list.
provided, of course, that you combine the search term
"Corporate responsibility" with "media" or "advertising". The
The German children's channel has adapted the British Media Smart initiative and caused quite a stir.
No wonder, since this is advertising education in schools
for 6 to 12-year-olds. The non-profit association is sponsored by
from Lego, Masterfoods, McDonald's, Nokia and other child-friendly companies.
corporations. This is an unmistakable indication that it is - as
with Google's self-censorship - here, too, it's about anticipatory obedience
deals.

Albeit a much more sympathetic version. Because against such
Prophylaxis campaigns against further advertising bans from Brussels or
elsewhere, there is nothing wrong with this in principle. Except for the
The fraudulent labeling with which Super RTL boss Claude Schmitt
initiative was recently reinterpreted as the "socio-political empowerment of our children".
No matter, the main thing is that the media companies finally see themselves as
"Corporate Citizen" - and act accordingly.

Oliver Classen is press spokesman for the
development policy organization Berne Declaration. Previously he was
Media journalist and editor of Werbewoche, among others.