The undercover research was permissible because the topic was of predominant public interest and certain information could not have been obtained in any other way. The "Declaration of the Duties and Rights of Journalists" considers undercover information gathering to be a legitimate means of research under these circumstances.
The Press Council justified its decision by stating that the reporting from inside a movement of so-called conspiracy theorists was of predominant public interest, especially in connection with the pandemic and the existence of similar groups abroad. In addition, without the undercover work of Heidi.news, part of the information provided by the report could not have been made available to the public.
The Press Council had received two complaints about the report published in the fall of 2020 with the title "Au coeur de la complosphère". In the eight parts, the life of a group of followers of so-called conspiracy theories in western Switzerland was described.
Identity veiled
The journalist had hidden his true identity from his interlocutors. For example, he falsified various elements of his biography. The action in the summer of 2020 lasted almost two months.
Jean-Luc Addor, SVP National Councilor for the Valais, believed that this research violated the professional ethics of journalists. He described the work as "democratically disturbing", especially with regard to the protection of privacy. A teacher mentioned in the report had also appealed to the Press Council. (SDA)
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Both titles will continue to operate independently, according to a statement issued on Tuesday. However, synergies are to be exploited. The editorial, management, marketing and technical departments will be combined. Since the beginning of the year, the two titles have already had a joint editor-in-chief in Madeleine von Holzen and Tibère Adler, as well as a joint director.
The takeover does not come as a surprise. At the beginning of November 2020, the Aventinus Foundation, based in Carouge GE, had given the Zurich media house Ringier Axel Springer Schweiz the newspaper Le Temps was purchased by Aventinus. At the same time, Aventinus also announced its intention to acquire a majority stake in Heidi.news in the medium term.
Le Temps welcomes the commitment of its owner. With the takeover, the Aventinus Foundation demonstrates its will to maintain and further develop a center for quality and innovation in the media sector in French-speaking Switzerland, according to the communiqué. (SDA)
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