Schweiz am Sonntag cites an interim evaluation of the Media Vote Monitor from February 28, for which the FÖG analyzed 22 press titles from German- and French-speaking Switzerland. The definitive evaluation will be published by the FÖG next Friday.
This not only shows that the DSI received more than half of the total media coverage of the four referendum proposals, but also that the majority of reporting was negative. 61% of all media commentators have a negative stance. 23 percent expressed a positive view, while 17 percent took a neutral position. According to Linards Udris, deputy head of the FÖG, the DSI has a "similarly pronounced negative tenor" in the media as Ecopop. And there is also "similarly strong" mobilization against it in the media. While the media opposed a very small group with Ecopop, they are now positioning themselves against Switzerland's largest party.
In French-speaking Switzerland, the attitude of the media is also markedly negative, but media interest is significantly lower. In German-speaking Switzerland, the response is immediately extremely high as soon as the SVP is mentioned, explains Udris. Swiss-German media also focus strongly on differences within the SVP. In contrast to French-speaking Switzerland, the climate here is "extremely heated".
Only a few titles are positive about the DSI. Weltwoche is clearly in favor, while the Basler Zeitung "tends to be slightly sympathetic", says Udris. 20 Minuten also behaved conspicuously in the final evaluation, he anticipates. The DSI is a very important topic for the paper. It is viewed negatively and civil society is able to express itself in great detail. However, there is no substantial debate. "There is much less of an exchange of arguments than in other media," says Udris. (hae)
Please note our current Survey (right): Is the media reporting too negatively on the enforcement initiative?