Swiss Review 1/2018

8 Swiss Review / January 2018 / No.1 “In a democracy, it’s about the general public having access to information,” as media scholar Silke Adam remarked at an event held by the information website “Infosperber”. “Well-educated people will always have this access. How- ever, the information thresholdmust be kept low for every- one.” Adamdoes not have any panacea-like solution to the current challenges facing the media world. “But I don’t think we can do without a public service. A recent study shows that the difference in information levels between the Focus Blocher has been building up his media empire for many years. With Blocher TV he has had his own TV channel for some time and the “Basler Zeitung” has been under his con- trol for a number of years. Blocher has continually tried to gain control of the large publishing houses and newspapers – including the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” and the tabloid “Blick” – using various means. However, completely new, bottom-up approaches are also emerging on themedia scene, which are attempting to provide journalism in Switzerland with fresh impetus – these are media outlets existing purely online. In addition to existing smaller platforms, such as “Infosperber” and “Journal 21”, “Republik” is now set to be launched –with big plans and impressive words: “Journalism is a child of the Enlightenment. Its task is to provide a critique of power. That’s why journalism is more than just a business for any corporation.” “Republik” is seeking to establish itself as an independent, digital magazinewhich primarily focuses on the structuring of information and in-depth research. It aims to manage without advertising revenues and to fi- nance itself from readers alone. An annual subscription costs at least 240 francs. It was launched in spectacular fashion with a crowd- funding campaign in April 2017. Never before had crowd- funding been so successful for a media project. Those be- hind “Republik” sought to raise around 750,000 francs within a month. Then came the shock news. Some 1.8 mil- lion had been contributed in the first 24 hours alone, all be- fore the first article had even been published. “The Fourth Power” on the big screen In the view of the Bernese film-maker Dieter Fahrer, this enthusiasm shows there is still a demand for guidance, structure and journalism. Fahrer worked with the Swiss media industry for around three years producing a docu- mentary entitled “Die Vierte Gewalt” (The Fourth Power), which is due to appear in cinemas inmid-February. The film shows journalists doing their daily jobs and explores the opportunities and limits of journalism, the rapid change in themedia industry and its ramifications for the public and democratic debate. Dieter Fahrerwould be “delighted if the filmhelps to raise awareness that quality journalism takes time and costs money”. The fact that the issue of themedia has nowreached cin- ema screens indicates its urgency and importance. For the first time, themedia debate is no longer an abstract concept but something tangible that affects almost everyone. Peo- ple can vote to break up or retain the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation at the ballot box. Many peoplewill also notice from their favourite newspaper what the signs of decline mean for the press, namely higher unit costs. Christoph Blocher, a shareholder in the “Basler Zeitung”, also acquired the Zehnder Verlag with its 38 titles last year. (Pictured: Blocher in debate with Susan Boos from the WoZ.)