Press Council: No general right of withdrawal for whistleblowers

At the end of March, the newspaper had reported on the parents' years-long battle with an insurance company in connection with a home birth. The couple's daughter is severely disabled for life due to the mistakes of a midwife, according to the Press Council's statement published on Tuesday.
The parents had provided the Tagi reporter with most of the information. However, they then withdrew the information and prohibited the newspaper from publishing it. However, the Tages-Anzeiger decided to report on the case in anonymized form because it was of public relevance.

Unfair treatment claimed
The parents then turned to the Press Council. They claimed that the newspaper had treated them unfairly and violated their privacy. The reporter had conducted unfair research. The Tages-Anzeiger countered that the parents had come forward of their own free will. The reporter had investigated correctly and in agreement with the couple. There is no general and unlimited right to retract information. The Press Council agreed with this position.
The informants had taken the decisive step towards publicity by going to the newspaper, he stated. The newspaper had neither violated the principle of fairness nor the privacy of the parents. The reporter had investigated correctly. The Press Council has never had a dispute of this kind before.