On the matter: secret ballot
The election of the SRG Director General is approaching. In recent weeks and months, more and more candidates’ names have been leaked, even though the SRG, as usual, is keeping quiet. The explanation given for this sounds rather feeble: they don’t want unsuccessful candidates to be discredited.
According to reports, the not-so-secret list of candidates includes FDP National Councilor Filippo Leutenegger, ex-CEO of Jean Frey AG and ex-chief editor of Swiss television, Edipresse boss Tibère Adler, Publigroupe CEO Hans-Peter Rohner and, to a certain extent as a surprise candidate, ex-CVP Federal Councilor Ruth Metzler, who was not re-elected in 2003 and had to vacate her seat as justice minister for Christoph Blocher. Jürg Wittwer, who was for some time the SVP's candidate for Elvia, no longer seems to be in the running.
Other names bandied about were Axpo CEO Heinz Karrer, who as former Ringier CEO has management experience in the media sector, but vehemently denied that he would be available as a candidate. Bakom CEO Martin Dumermuth also did not want to stand for election.
Andreas Blum is well-timed in speaking out on the website of the Swiss Society for Media Criticism (GFMKS). Blum was director of Radio DRS from 1979 to 1999, and he doesn't mince words: "SRG is run by economists, administrative lawyers and bureaucrats - personalities with a media-specific imprint and a passion for the public service are clearly in the minority." The ex-radio man goes even further: "Never before has the SRG's management been as weakly staffed as it is today. At the highest hierarchical level - general management and board of directors - the majority are people who could just as easily work in a state administration." And the SRG insider also has a clear opinion on the appointment policy: "The positions on the boards of directors as well as on the executive board level are not primarily filled according to professional qualifications, but rather according to the party-political supply principle or on the basis of personal relationships. The most important prerequisite for higher positions is membership in the nomenklatura.
Well, we can look forward to a great election! Under these conditions, only the hapless ex-Federal Councillor seems to have a real chance of succeeding the SRG's father Walpen. She would be the fourth CVP member in a row to head SRG.
Pierre C. Meier, Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
Other names bandied about were Axpo CEO Heinz Karrer, who as former Ringier CEO has management experience in the media sector, but vehemently denied that he would be available as a candidate. Bakom CEO Martin Dumermuth also did not want to stand for election.
Andreas Blum is well-timed in speaking out on the website of the Swiss Society for Media Criticism (GFMKS). Blum was director of Radio DRS from 1979 to 1999, and he doesn't mince words: "SRG is run by economists, administrative lawyers and bureaucrats - personalities with a media-specific imprint and a passion for the public service are clearly in the minority." The ex-radio man goes even further: "Never before has the SRG's management been as weakly staffed as it is today. At the highest hierarchical level - general management and board of directors - the majority are people who could just as easily work in a state administration." And the SRG insider also has a clear opinion on the appointment policy: "The positions on the boards of directors as well as on the executive board level are not primarily filled according to professional qualifications, but rather according to the party-political supply principle or on the basis of personal relationships. The most important prerequisite for higher positions is membership in the nomenklatura.
Well, we can look forward to a great election! Under these conditions, only the hapless ex-Federal Councillor seems to have a real chance of succeeding the SRG's father Walpen. She would be the fourth CVP member in a row to head SRG.
Pierre C. Meier, Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
