Press Council reprimands CH Media: Tamedia journalist not heard
The Press Council has reprimanded CH Media for two articles about a book project on the 2014 Zug Landammann celebration and Jolanda Spiess-Hegglin, who was a member of the cantonal parliament at the time. Tamedia journalists are accused of making false statements without being given a chance to respond.
The media company CH Media reported in October 2021 that a book by Tamedia journalist Michèle Binswanger about the 2014 Zug Landammann celebrations would not be published for the time being. In doing so, it relied on a federal court ruling.
In two articles dated October 28, 2021 in the online edition and October 29 in the print edition of CH Media titles, the suspicion was expressed that Tamedia had provided untrue information about the status of the book project.
Tamedia had in fact claimed that the book had not yet been completed. However, the court submission by the plaintiff Spiess-Hegglin shows that a manuscript has been sent to publishers, CH Media said.
The Press Council writes in a statement on Friday that this accusation of false statements weighs heavily. By not hearing the accusations, CH Media has violated the "Declaration of the Duties and Rights of Journalists," the Press Council argues. It therefore upholds Tamedia's complaint.
What exactly happened at the Landammann party in December 2014 remains unclear. In terms of criminal law, the incidents, which involved a possible sexual offense, are closed. The case grew into a media affair, with Spiess-Hegglin at its center. (sda.)
