The question is: What for?

Column Where did the document come from? If the motive of the "traitor" were known, it would be possible to deduce the value of his information.
last Friday presented her topic in an interesting, differentiated and
treated with a minimum of shouting. And actually, everyone
participants against the image they brought with them.
Christoph Grenacher from SonntagsBlick was credible as a revealing
Journalist. Regula Stämpfli and Peter Forster as political scientists and
Critics with military training judged his behavior from a
opposing positions plausible. And the two politicians, each
Representatives of wing positions, showed that sometimes it pays off,
to listen to you, even if you don't like him. The Zug left-back Jo
Despite all the demagoguery, Lang argued in some places that
brilliant. And Christoph Mörgeli showed that he can be more than that
than Blocher's loudspeaker, namely a clever mind with uninhibited
debate.

The question was: Are we allowed to do what the SonntagsBlick did in its first
January issue, namely a classified secret
Publish a secret service document? Always assuming it is
explosive, it seems - which, by the way, becomes all the more dubious the more
you read it more closely.

The most important question was not answered in the "Arena"; it could be
cannot be answered either: Where did the document come from? Who wrote it?
and, above all, with what motives? Grenacher has
at least half-mumbled that he had not been in favor of it.
paid. (It's a pity that discussion leader Reto Brennwald was at
did not follow up on this point!)

The motives of the "traitors" usually allow good conclusions to be drawn about the
value of their information. As a rule, it is not only
What matters is what they give you, but also what they keep back and
conceal.

I have many years of experience in dealing with "hot" tips and
almost every motive. Greed and pomposity
are the easiest to see through. Often, for political or
an issue is launched for idealistic reasons, a disliked opponent or
competitor is shot down. Often this is also a rival from the
own organization. That is why it is worthwhile in economic matters to
In any case, in-depth research into the hierarchies. Many a
The underdog has been peddling explosive documents in order to
to make them go away. Or to make an unpopular project look bad so that
it does nothing for its own project, which competes internally for budget funds
can take more away. Machiavelli sends his regards.

Inevitably, the journalist, especially the boss in charge, gets caught up in
Distress of conscience. The foreseeable criminal record is the lesser evil.
But decent people - and that includes editors-in-chief to
count as proof to the contrary - do not want to do any harm. They
weigh up the options. But how do they do it best?

In all cases (almost all on comparatively less important,
local level), I have learned that such decisions can only be made
never make decisions on your own, even if you have to deal with the consequences alone afterwards.
must carry. I have always been able to talk to good friends and confidants
advise. For example, I remember with great respect one
retired judge, whom I was repeatedly allowed to consult and
who, as it turned out afterwards, was always right without exception.
The most important thing was that these confidants were not left out of the media pie.
but saw the problem from the outside. The less they knew about the
understood (or held) the mechanisms of this trade, the more valuable
was her advice.

PS. I have noticed that in Switzerland very little attention is paid to
was, as the major international news media reported with the Scoop
of the SonntagsBlick. While the SF "Tagesschau"
ball relatively low, ARD, BBC and others were on Sunday with
Top reports on the spot. Despite all reservations, the fax in question was
obviously worth the attention. This encourages me - in ignorance of the
source situation - in the assumption that Christoph Grenacher is correct
has decided. Journalists are there to uncover, secret-keepers
there is still enough.

Karl Lüönd is a publicist and author.