Swiss Press Council rejects a complaint against ArcInfo.ch
Is a journalist required to use all the information provided by a source? And if not, does he violate his duty to seek the truth? No, says the Swiss Press Council.
It therefore rejects the complaint of the collective H+H against "ArcInfo.ch". In this collective, citizens have joined forces to ensure the implementation of the referendum of February 12, 2017 in favor of the model of two acute hospitals in the canton of Neuchâtel.
The Press Council also considers it unproblematic not to return to the substance of the case in every article, but to deal with only one aspect, such as the satisfaction survey of hospital staff conducted by the same collective. Putting the representativeness of the survey into perspective is just as much a part of journalistic work as giving all the groups involved a chance to have their say.
Moreover, the fact that the article was written by a journalist who had not been very familiar with the case until then violates freedom of information nor the independence or dignity of the profession. The Swiss Press Council therefore rejects the complaint of the member of the collective H+H on all the points complained of.
