Federal Councillor Keller-Sutter compares media with dog species
At the Swiss Media Forum in Lucerne, Federal Councilor Karin Keller-Sutter compared media professionals to various breeds of dogs, noting that they act as the «watchdogs of democracy.» Specifically, she mentioned the yapper, the leg-biter, and the chain dog. She considers the deliberate discrediting of the media to be a cause for concern.
The yapper yaps quickly and loudly - but it stops just as quickly, Keller-Sutter said on Thursday in a virtually transmitted speech. When the calf biter bites, it can be painful: "But I also know: It will pass." The chain dog likes to feed on scattered indiscretions and is not very picky. If it is let off the chain, it will bite into anything - except the source that feeds it.
It is also not a fundamental problem if one or the other watchdog barks a little too fast, bites too early or picks the wrong calf, Keller-Sutter said. The system can withstand that. The Federal Council has long since acquired leg protectors. But it becomes problematic when trust in a person or an institution is deliberately undermined. Then the public loses trust - in the watchdog or in the institutions.
Take out the dog and break in
The matter is serious, said the Federal Councillor: The discrediting of the media by so-called "alternative media", among others, is also done with the aim of undermining political stability and rational discourse. The aim is to eliminate the watchdog in order to be able to break into the house more easily. There are allegations of, for example, a conspiracy among the media, the venality of journalists, or conspiratorial influence of the government on the media. "None of these are narratives that are meant to foster trust."
However, a functioning and trustworthy media system is a basic condition for democracy: "Counter-realities and alternative facts can be dangerous." In this respect, she welcomes every step the media industry takes to strengthen trust in its daily work.
"At the end of the day, we're all in the same boat," Keller-Sutter said. It is the common democracy, you only have this one. The media and institutions therefore depend on each other, she said. "For this to work, each of us must play our role to the best of our ability." (sda)
