Frank A. Meyer – column: Power without a mandate

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What was Ignazio Cassis thinking when he shouted to a group at an FDP election event in early September: “I don’t read newspapers anymore.” And in justification he added: “They don’t suit me.”

The Tages-Anzeiger immediately reported a media reprimand against the foreign minister: “His home canton is alarmed.”

Fright? Confusion? Because a member of the Federal Council is “ranting against the media,” as a Zurich newspaper excitedly reported?

That’s how it is. The media enjoy immunity, especially from politicians, who certainly do not want to mess with opinion makers, especially before elections, that is, right now.

Ignazio Cassis is a brave man. He is right?

Zurich Social Democrat Jacqueline Badran also dares to speak out against the media, which “loves to complain” that the election campaign is “a little lacking in substance.” At the same time, according to the national adviser of the SP, newspapers, broadcasters and platforms are downplaying all attempts by parties to position themselves as “campaign banter”.

That’s exactly what it is. The media creates the mood – often to entertain voters. German-language Swiss television came up with the unrivaled idea of ​​presenting party presidents as chefs. The Tages-Anzeiger newspaper praised the amateur theater of politicians in kitchen aprons, including the party president with a basket of vegetables: “We cook, we don’t politicize.”

Journalists like to see that democratically responsible people are not taken particularly seriously: they hand out “grades”—school grades; they call on a select few to “do their homework”—the students of the Federal Palace; After all, every summer they enjoy the Bundesrazreisli – the government on a school trip.

Top-down journalism is not questioned, especially by politicians. Why spoil relations with those who determine the climate of the election campaign, who are therefore easier to win, even if this is achieved through compliance.

Democratic power is giving way to media power.

And the power of the media considers itself called upon to subordinate the democratic power to its control.

In a democracy, since Montesquieu’s model of separation of powers, three branches of government control each other: the legislative, executive and judicial, but a “fourth branch” has long emerged: the media branch.

Violence and the media? In a democracy, the media actually play the role of servants of citizens and politics. But haven’t they long since turned into an independent factor of power?

About state power without democratic control? Power without a mandate?

Why have the media and journalists suddenly become controversial when they have proven themselves so well in the past as guarantors of democratic political culture? Perhaps it’s because of the media?

Who creates the media? Hard-working journalists, dedicated to the spirit of the times, equipped with digital technologies to delight “users” and generate “likes” for them, and above all, of course, increase “clicks” – the new standard of journalistic quality.

Editorial events no longer take place in traditional newsrooms, around tables with the journalist’s personal clutter – books, sheets of paper, coffee mugs and writing utensils.

The brave new world of postmodern journalism is called the newsroom: a digital clean room with digital blank screens and, above all, free of any private office culture.

And who works there? Journalists, each with an academic background, from political scientists to psychologists to college dropouts, without a life path that leads through social reality. Therefore, there are no writers, researchers and analysts with practical work experience. No connoisseurs of the conditions that are the daily subject of their profession are strangers in the world of workers.

Media power controlling the power of democracy: in the hands of a well-appointed and well-protected elite – Studenteska!

The question arises: who actually controls this remote elite that claims to control the real world of politics, economics, culture and society?

Yes, media control is a bad word. Yes, control over journalists would be an incredible process in a democracy. All that remains is control over the media and journalists by the media and journalists.

Self-control.

What does it mean? First of all, pluralism of personnel. Opening of editorial offices to talents of all social classes. Bringing the journalistic biotope closer to social reality: Anyone who has to cover the real world must come from the real world – from the professional world.

School of life instead of bachelor and master.

Perhaps Dr. Ignazio Cassis was able to make the correct diagnosis with the help of his criticism in the media. In any case, the Corriere del Ticino newspaper immediately reacted with concern. She countered: There was no reason to “denigrate newspapers that remain the bedrock of our democracy.”

This would be true, if everyday reality were not too far removed from too many journalists.

Source: Blick