170 complaints about radio and television broadcasts in 2010
The number of complaints against radio and television broadcasts fell slightly last year. The Swiss ombudsman offices received a total of 170 complaints, six fewer than in 2009. Most of the cases were resolved by the ombudsmen. In 14 cases, the complaints were referred to the higher instance, the Federal Independent Complaints Authority for Radio and Television (UBI).
Among other things, the disputed broadcasts dealt with swine flu, the pharmaceutical lobby, street prostitution, the minaret initiative and the sperm quality of Swiss men. As the UBI announced on Friday, it upheld three of the 14 complaints. In all three cases, the UBI found a violation of the principle of fairness.
A total of two Swiss television reports were reprimanded. These were a Tagesschau report on the case of private banker Oskar Holenweger, which did not provide balanced information, and a report from 10 vor 10 on the FDP's links with the pharmaceutical lobby. The UBI found that the connections criticized in the programme were based on insufficiently meaningful facts. The body also upheld a complaint against an interview broadcast by Cash TV on the vote on the minimum conversion rate for occupational pensions. A representative of a pension fund was interviewed in this program, which also happened to be the main sponsor.
Both 10 vor 10 and those responsible at Cash TV took the appeal to the Federal Supreme Court. Of the 14 cases that the UBI had to deal with, eleven concerned German-language broadcasters and three French-language broadcasters. No complaints were submitted to the UBI from Ticino.
The number of complaints against Swiss television fell significantly, as the annual report shows - from 11 cases in 2009 to six cases in 2010.
SRG: No reference to the ombudsman's office
In the current year, one of the UBI's aims is to ensure that the 70 radio and television broadcasters in Switzerland are better informed about the possibility of lodging a complaint with the ombudsman's office. In the foreword to the annual report, UBI President Roger Blum writes that the information is poorly visible for 22 broadcasters and simply does not exist for 30. This includes all SRG channels. This basic information needs to be improved.
The UBI is an extra-parliamentary commission of the Swiss Confederation. It consists of nine honorary members and is chaired by media scientist Roger Blum. The hearings of the appeal body are open to the public.
