SF: Violate your own guidelines?
On Monday, Cédric Wermuth, who is running for the National Council in the canton of Aargau, will appear on the SF talk show "Schawinski". In doing so, Swiss television is violating its own guidelines, says the NZZ am Sonntag.
According to the NZZ am Sonntag, the "Elections and Votes" section of the journalistic guidelines states that candidates are not allowed to appear on entertainment, talk and sports programs before elections. Such appearances would usually harbor a great potential for profiling. An exception is made for professionally justified appearances. For example, the president of a soccer club could justify the dismissal of the coach, even if he was running for the National Council. Until October 23, no more candidates are to appear in broadcasts without a "compelling reason," as SF Editor-in-Chief Diego Yanez told his staff.
There is no "compelling reason" for Wermuth's appearance, writes the NZZ am Sonntag. Wermuth is not currently in the headlines - but is now getting the opportunity to make his mark on television, unlike all the other Aargau National Council candidates.
Andrea Hemmi, head of media at SF, justifies Wermuth's appearance by saying that after the previous talk show guests Peter Spuhler of the SVP and Karin Keller-Sutter of the FDP, a representative of the SP is now scheduled to appear on "Schawinski".
