No Mickey Mouse justice
Column: Karl Lüönd finds the wrangling over the Press Council incomprehensible.
Column Publishers have their very own
interest in journalistic quality. You therefore need to take into account the
Press Council (are allowed) to carry. And that subito.The word comes from the inimitable
colleague Max Frenkel, this sovereign despiser of "Political
Correctness", and it is aimed at the Swiss Press Council:
"Mickey Mouse justice," that is, a cartoonish depiction of real
Judiciary, power assumed, easily ridiculed.
Ten years ago, I would probably have made a similar assessment, but since then
things have changed as far as journalistic quality and thus compelling
ethical standards, too, has not developed for the better. The
"soft values" have deformed under the pressure of circumstances.
And the conditions, especially the economic ones, are anything but.
than pleasing. The pressure to save has also affected the editorial apparatus there
dismantled, where in the spending behavior never wealth neglect
prevailed.
At the same time, the pressure of competition meant that many colleagues were
colleagues in the subjects of exaggeration and insinuation risked more,
than was good for its reputation. Through failures à la Villiger or
Borer, however, will not only lose journalistic credibility
damaged. It also suffers the value of the medium in question, which is
brand in question. And because media brands are virtual goods whose
value depends on the "soft factors" described above, damage
editorial worries materially directly the owners of
Media brands, also called publishers. Their concern for the journalistic
So quality may well be a concern for the preservation of material
substance. In any case, it is sincere.
In the active promotion of journalistic quality, the
interests of publishers, journalists and readers in an almost ideal way.
way. Cool calculators would conclude that the three groups here are
- regardless of their other differences. In addition to
instruments such as leaf criticism, personnel management and training and
Continuing education also includes voluntary self-regulation among the
proven tools for maintaining quality in journalism. In addition, it is
an imperative of prudence. Not only when advising the radio and
television law, the aggressive desire of some politicians (from all the
ideological points of the compass) can be grasped with their hands, which as rebellious
and sloppy perceived press on a short leash. On a long
view follows from this: If the industry does not control itself and
publicly held to its qualitative standards, it will be
one day regulated by the state. Whether via "performance mandates" within the framework
of any "press promotion", with the legal cudgel or via
Strengthening the public-law privileged and controlled
Media ultimately doesn't matter.
The fact that journalists' associations and publishers, despite these clear
The two organizations continue to fight over the sponsorship of the press council.
in such a way that the publishers are prohibited from entering and thus the
To be denied co-responsibility for self-control - can be
can really only be described as surrealistic. From
From a trade union point of view, there may be reasons for the
the "opponent" a finger's breadth in the current hardened CLA situation.
terrain. Only should the majority of the
Council of the Press Foundation slowly realize that they are ultimately going against
acts the interests of those journalists whom to defend it
dictates. How are employee representatives to be supported in the future by their bosses?
nor credibly demand commitment to quality promotion when
they are at the same time opposed to engagement where these bosses are
show willingness to perform on their own initiative?
I feel particularly sorry for the staff of the Press Council under the
competent leadership of Peter Studer: As a thank you for their bad
paid quality work, they get a kicking from their own
colleagues. Yet their decisions and guidance have long since been
a rank that elevates it far above the insinuation that it is a
"Mickey Mouse justice."
interest in journalistic quality. You therefore need to take into account the
Press Council (are allowed) to carry. And that subito.The word comes from the inimitable
colleague Max Frenkel, this sovereign despiser of "Political
Correctness", and it is aimed at the Swiss Press Council:
"Mickey Mouse justice," that is, a cartoonish depiction of real
Judiciary, power assumed, easily ridiculed.
Ten years ago, I would probably have made a similar assessment, but since then
things have changed as far as journalistic quality and thus compelling
ethical standards, too, has not developed for the better. The
"soft values" have deformed under the pressure of circumstances.
And the conditions, especially the economic ones, are anything but.
than pleasing. The pressure to save has also affected the editorial apparatus there
dismantled, where in the spending behavior never wealth neglect
prevailed.
At the same time, the pressure of competition meant that many colleagues were
colleagues in the subjects of exaggeration and insinuation risked more,
than was good for its reputation. Through failures à la Villiger or
Borer, however, will not only lose journalistic credibility
damaged. It also suffers the value of the medium in question, which is
brand in question. And because media brands are virtual goods whose
value depends on the "soft factors" described above, damage
editorial worries materially directly the owners of
Media brands, also called publishers. Their concern for the journalistic
So quality may well be a concern for the preservation of material
substance. In any case, it is sincere.
In the active promotion of journalistic quality, the
interests of publishers, journalists and readers in an almost ideal way.
way. Cool calculators would conclude that the three groups here are
- regardless of their other differences. In addition to
instruments such as leaf criticism, personnel management and training and
Continuing education also includes voluntary self-regulation among the
proven tools for maintaining quality in journalism. In addition, it is
an imperative of prudence. Not only when advising the radio and
television law, the aggressive desire of some politicians (from all the
ideological points of the compass) can be grasped with their hands, which as rebellious
and sloppy perceived press on a short leash. On a long
view follows from this: If the industry does not control itself and
publicly held to its qualitative standards, it will be
one day regulated by the state. Whether via "performance mandates" within the framework
of any "press promotion", with the legal cudgel or via
Strengthening the public-law privileged and controlled
Media ultimately doesn't matter.
The fact that journalists' associations and publishers, despite these clear
The two organizations continue to fight over the sponsorship of the press council.
in such a way that the publishers are prohibited from entering and thus the
To be denied co-responsibility for self-control - can be
can really only be described as surrealistic. From
From a trade union point of view, there may be reasons for the
the "opponent" a finger's breadth in the current hardened CLA situation.
terrain. Only should the majority of the
Council of the Press Foundation slowly realize that they are ultimately going against
acts the interests of those journalists whom to defend it
dictates. How are employee representatives to be supported in the future by their bosses?
nor credibly demand commitment to quality promotion when
they are at the same time opposed to engagement where these bosses are
show willingness to perform on their own initiative?
I feel particularly sorry for the staff of the Press Council under the
competent leadership of Peter Studer: As a thank you for their bad
paid quality work, they get a kicking from their own
colleagues. Yet their decisions and guidance have long since been
a rank that elevates it far above the insinuation that it is a
"Mickey Mouse justice."
Karl Lüönd
is a journalist and, until the end of the year, head of the Media Institute of the Swiss Press Publishers Association.
