Press Council rejects complaint by SP politician against NZZ
The Press Council has dismissed the complaint filed by Zurich SP politician Françoise Bassand against the Neue Zürcher Zeitung. The Press Council ruled that the newspaper did not violate the principle of truthfulness in its reporting on the Kalkbreite residential complex.
Under the title "Living Modestly with the Bassand Family". (To the article on Nzz.ch) in April 2015, the NZZ highlighted life in the "red-green model village" Kalkbreite, a sustainably oriented housing estate in Zurich. The NZZ published the living space and rent of Françoise Bassand, an active SP activist who is a board member of the Zurich Tenants' Association. Although residents would profess to do without, Bassand and her family occupy a generous 140 square meters at a reasonable price, the NZZ wrote. Perhaps, in view of these privileges, it would be better to enjoy and keep quiet.
Bassand was then called a "left-wing hypocrite" in online comments and by phone, who "talk about the poverty of others and stuff their own pockets." According to Bassand, however, the NZZ stated that the rent was too low. Because she felt defamed by the newspaper, she filed a complaint with the Press Council.
Journalist does not have to be objective
However, the Press Council rejects the complaint. The rent was calculated on the basis of an official estimate. The term "guide price" in the text makes it clear to the reader that this is a general assumption, writes the Press Council. Therefore one cannot speak of a violation of the truth requirement. Moreover, a journalist is not obliged to be objective and may disseminate his personal view of a matter. In the present case, the author presents his view of things quite critically. Objectively unjustified accusations, however, were not to be found in the article. (SDA)
