On the matter: dubious dialogue
Every journalist knows that it only takes certain catchwords for the comment columns in the online editions of newspapers to literally explode. Such buzzwords include Blocher, crime against foreigners, speeders, social welfare, animal abusers, Europe. But rip-offs, bonuses, soccer hooligans and young drinkers also generate a lot of comments. Some comments are good and valuable, others rather borderline. Very often only the first comments deal with the actual topic, then the discussion slides into mutual insults. The comment trolls send their regards.
Something similar happens on Twitter and Facebook. Some politicians have already found that their emotional, below-the-belt tweets and remarks have not helped their careers. Such inappropriate comments and tweets are proof for some people that such statements should not be taken seriously. Michael Ringier also tried to prove this at the media congress with quotes from comment columns.
What was it like in the old days? In the pre-Internet era, you could simply throw letters to the editor that didn't suit the editor in charge or that were out of tone into the trash. That was censorship. Monologues were the trump card. Today, people are liberal and often allow a tougher discussion. The reader should be able to have his say. Dialog is sought. So far, so good.
The Lampedusa refugee drama shows the limits of dialogue. Christof Moser wrote in Schweiz am Sonntag: "Twice this week I had tears in my eyes. The first time when I saw the TV images of the refugee tragedy off Lampedusa: over 300 drowned refugees, including pregnant women and children. And the second time when I read the comments under the articles about the tragedy."
One can only agree with him, because what went on in the comment columns was simply disgusting. It was little consolation that some of the racist and inhuman comments abroad were even more blatant. For me, at least, I briefly wished for the return of censorship. But that would be the wrong way to go. In the context of the discussion about the quality of the media, one hears again and again the opinion that journalists generally write past their readers and that they would not take seriously what moves the population. Maybe so. But I don't want to take the dull-witted Lampedusa comment writers seriously at all, otherwise it makes me sick. Unfortunately, I don't have a solution for a dialogue either. It would be important.
Pierre C. Meier, Editor-in-Chief pc.meier@werbewoche.ch
