Forum State and Media 2010: State should promote media diversity

The state should not interfere in media content, but should ensure favorable framework conditions, was one of the demands at the forum. Hans-Jürg Fehr (SP), Alain Berset (SP) and Dominique de Buman (CVP) emphasized the importance of the media and media diversity for the information and opinion-forming of voters in a direct democracy. In Fehr's opinion, in addition to radio and television, the press and new media also require state regulation that safeguards the public service and, if necessary, co-finances it via fees without interfering with media content. In contrast, publisher and editor-in-chief Norbert Neininger called for tax concessions and legislative changes. And SVP General Secretary Martin Baltisser called for the Competition Commission to intervene against press concentration at regional level and cartel agreements between publishers.

(Arena of the Federal Council parties (from left to right): Dominique de Buman (CVP), Martine Brunschwig Graf (FDP), Martin Baltisser (SVP), Alain Berset (SP)).

NZZ media journalist Rainer Stadler showed how the economic situation of newsstand newspapers is suffering from the decline in advertising revenue. And Karl Lüönd lamented the rampant exodus of good journalists to "cozy niches in the hobby sector" due to the pressure to save money and the poor working conditions in journalism. The dangers of these developments were illustrated by Martine Brunschwig Graf with the example of the affair surrounding Gaddafi's son. According to the FDP National Councillor, the inaccurate reporting at the time had intensified the state affair. She therefore called for the state to become more involved in the training of journalists.

Good framework conditions for publishers and media professionals
The representatives of the journalists' organizations said that it was unacceptable for newspaper publishers to receive money and support from the state in the form of tax and distribution concessions and legislative changes on the one hand, while refusing to pay journalists minimum wages on the other. They were referring to the situation in German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino, where publishers have been refusing to discuss a collective labor agreement for six years. Freelance journalists in particular would suffer from the lack of a minimum wage guarantee.
Media scientist Dominique Bourgeois showed that there are also functioning business models in the age of new media. While constitutional law expert Eva Maria Belser showed the possibilities and limits of the state passively protecting media freedom and referred to the often "anti-media" federal court rulings, her colleague Pascal Mahon compared various foreign models of media promotion.

(Caption (from left to right): Roland Jeanneret (Director), Christian Campiche (Vice President Impressum), Peter Studer (former President of the Press Council and publicist), Peter Rothenbühler (journalist and publicist), Daniel Pillard (Director Ringier Romandie), Norbert Neininger (Publisher Schaffhauser Nachrichten), Hans-Jürg Fehr (SP National Councillor, media politician, editor and publishing director)).

(Photos: Stéphanie Brodard, Nina Aeschbacher)