Who in Basel is clever and who is a pit bull

Does investigative journalism really serve the cause, is the media fulfilling its function of criticism and control, or is it just about circulation and ratings?" This question was the focus of the "Stadtgespräch", which was organized on Tuesday evening in Basel by the local adult education centre and the DRS regional journal. Patrick Müller, editor-in-chief of the Sonntag newspaper, confirmed that the media makers are also concerned with ratings. In the online sector in particular, every click counts. "Their number determines advertising revenue," he said. As a result, online journalists tend to make their articles more pointed. "The fact that you then experiment a little and cross boundaries is much more virulent here than with printed paper," said Müller - and remained unchallenged on this point.

Baz publisher reprimands own paper

There was also a consensus on the podium when moderator Dieter Kohler turned the conversation to two accidents - the car accident in Valais and a road rage incident in Basel: in both cases, several media outlets had overstepped the boundaries, they said in unison. Müller mentioned a Reuters webcam that was activated on Blick Online and showed what happened in front of the morgue in Sierre. He also criticized the picture of a child involved in an accident in Blick. Filippo Leutenegger, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Basler Zeitung Medien, even criticized his own newspaper in his first major appearance as Baz publisher. It was "a mistake" for the Baz to print a picture of the Basel rampage in which paramedics were recognizable.

Markus Huppenbauer, ethicist at the University of Zurich, confirmed that the consent of the persons concerned or their relatives is essential for such images, as otherwise their personal rights would be violated. In addition, there is always the question of the information content of a picture. The fact that editorial offices are often under pressure is no excuse for mistakes, he said, and suggested that emergency drills should be carried out, just like the fire department - so that journalists learn to make ethically and legally correct decisions even under pressure.

The quiet confession of Thomas Borer

Opinions differed more strongly on the Hildebrand case. Thomas Borer, former Swiss ambassador in Berlin and current advisor, pleaded for a more generous error culture in Switzerland. The Chairman of the National Bank had certainly made mistakes. But Borer questioned whether he had to resign as a result. "It would have been enough to give him a slap on the wrist and then let him carry on working," he said. "Moral indignation sometimes blinds us," said Huppenbauer, who described the rapid calls for his resignation as a sign of a "lack of common sense". FDP National Councillor Leutenegger took a different view. Hildebrand's main mistake was not to mention a crucial e-mail in his defense strategy. "Experience shows: If someone doesn't tell the whole truth, things get tight." Müller agrees with him.

The so-called Borer case only came up briefly exactly ten years ago. Sonntagsblick had framed the then ambassador for an extramarital affair - fictitious, as it later turned out. Borer had to resign, as did the editor-in-chief of Sonntagsblick at the time. It was a traumatic experience at the time, says Borer. However, he casually mentioned that he himself had also been "not entirely innocent". Unfortunately, no one followed up on this. But a little later, Leutenegger picked up this thread on his own initiative and warned the "people in the limelight" not to let the media "hype them up and look too much into their room". That could very easily turn negative, he said.

Markus Somm is indispensable for AZ Medien

At the end, there was a humorous exchange of blows between newspaper rivals. In response to a question from the audience, Leutenegger praised his editor-in-chief Markus Somm as a "clever man with a great deal of knowledge", who may annoy some people, but today produces a "better researched" Baz. The fact that AZ Medien competes with Basellandschaftliche Zeitung (BZ) and Sonntag for the Baz and that Patrik Müller in particular is nipping at Somm's heels like a pit bull does not bother him, Leutenegger added mischievously.

Müller returned the favor by also joining in the praise for his colleague Somm. He described the Baz editor-in-chief as "our best advertising medium", who generates many new subscribers for the BZ. "So please don't sack him!" he shouted at Leutenegger, to laughter from the audience of around 200.

Markus Knöpfli

(Image: Keystone)