media column
Vive la Revolution! The consequences of sexism and abuse of power in Swiss media houses
Publicist Matthias Ackeret on the staff departures at “Blick” and “Magazine” and what that has to do with the call from business journalist Patrizia Laeri.
The Swiss media houses are confronted with accusations of sexism.
Matthias Ackeret, Editor-in-Chief Personally.
“I don’t want an apology,” said award-winning business journalist Patrizia Laeri in a recent “Blick” interview, “but a revolution.” In their sights: the “sexist culture” of the Swiss media houses. At practically the same time, Ringier fired a long-standing editor-in-chief and released the incumbent Blick boss for six months to investigate allegations of abuse of power.
In the case of “Blick” editor-in-chief Christian Dorer, Ringier allowed himself to be carried away with the abstruse formulation that it was uncertain that he would ever take up his position again. Which shows: In stormy Me-Too times, assumptions are already a condemnation. Vive la Revolution!
It is reality: Swiss publishers are currently in the doldrums of flight weather. The laerization of the media is beginning to take effect: Three bosses had to vacate their chairs within a very short time because of allegations of sleaze. The best known is “Magazine” editor-in-chief Finn Canonica. His alleged power behavior listed his long-time employee Anuschka Roshani neatly in a “Spiegel” article, which was more execution than processing.
Now Canonica is suing the big “mirror”. Prosecutor Roshani, on the other hand, has so far not publicly commented on her allegations. Not even in the SRF literature club, where she appeared as a guest star. Instead, Roshani criticized finisher journalism on the show. At the “Bild” newspaper.