Epiphany conference: Swiss press must overcome credibility crisis

In recent years, Federal Councillors Ueli Maurer and Christoph Blocher, as well as the then SP party president Ursula Koch, have harshly criticized the media. There was talk of media products being useless and superficial, even of bungling and courtesy. The publishers each gave thunderous applause. "Imagine if Federal Councillor Maurer had told farmers in a speech that the production of local food was important. But he said that what the farmers produced was inedible and far too highly subsidized. He doesn't eat their produce," Lebrument drew an apt comparison. "A new beginning is needed," Lebrument called out to the 400 or so publishers and media professionals. The Swiss press must learn to believe in its own products again, he said. The Swiss media landscape is one of the best on the planet. Media diversity is very high. There are around 4,000 media outlets, including 2,800 newspapers, magazines and opinion papers.

Pillars of democracy
Anyone who takes a look at the media offerings will see why direct democracy has made Switzerland one of the most successful models among countries.
"I call on you to redraw our image to the outside world," said the publisher president. The industry must once again succeed in painting a realistic picture of the media world. The much-maligned quality of the media is not as bad as is often claimed. The controls were working. And the newspapers were not created to talk at the mouths of politicians and managers. They are there for people who want to get a picture of the country's problems and tasks.
The press fulfills this task excellently. The political landscape, the development of a flourishing economy, the establishment and expansion of a high-quality education system and the good social institutions - the press has made a significant contribution to all of this thanks to good public information. With few exceptions, the press has done a good and intensive job since the founding of the federal state. It is the task of the media professionals to emphasize and repeatedly underline this. Especially when they are once again attacked for a few trivialities.

(Pictures: Keystone)