SRG ombudsman supports criticism of SRF report on Geri Müller
SRG Ombudsman Roger Blum has upheld a complaint against a report on the SRF program «Schweiz aktuell» about Baden Mayor Geri Müller. The report did not meet the heightened standards of care and the requirement for diversity .
"Schweiz aktuell" had aired a report on Müller's election campaign on September 7, just over two weeks before the first round of the Baden city council elections. Three years ago, the Green politician Geri Müller had made the headlines throughout Switzerland because of his nude selfie affair. He did not resign from office and is running again for city mayor this weekend.
The private person who had submitted the complaint criticized that the contribution was pure election assistance for Müller. The three other candidates running for the office of Baden city mayor had not been able to present themselves. What SRF had done there had nothing to do with fairness, the private person wrote verbatim.
By focusing on Geri Müller and his mortgage in the election campaign, it was in no way a matter of helping him win the election, the editorial director of "Schweiz aktuell" defended himself in his statement. The sole aim was to show the national audience the most interesting aspect of the election campaign in Baden.
The article had not been free publicity for Geri Müller, but had presented him quite critically. The nude selfie affair, which was obviously detrimental to him, was discussed in detail. The other candidates and their party affiliation were explicitly mentioned in the report and in the moderation.
After hearing the two parties, SRG ombudsman Roger Blum concludes that Geri Müller is a figure of national renown and that the election of the mayor is of national interest. However, the timing and form of the broadcast would have to be discussed.
The timing of the broadcast was clearly within the sensitive period before the elections, i.e. the period in which special journalistic care is required and in which the principle of diversity has to be observed. The policy of the previous city mayor was not critically questioned. Blum also criticized the fact that the pictures and names of the other three city council candidates were only shown briefly.
The complaint may be referred to the Independent Complaints Authority for Radio and Television (UBI). (SDA)
