Press Council reprimands: Republic has inadmissibly altered correspondence
The online magazine Republik published a journalist's research correspondence with its own editorial team, making some inadmissible changes. The Press Council has partially approved the corresponding complaint.
In its decision published on Wednesday, the Press Council considers it legitimate that the Republic published the interview as evidence of contradictions under discussion. In principle, however, research interviews may not be published without consent.
The investigative journalist had filed a complaint because the online magazine published the correspondence without his consent and distorted have published.
According to the Press Council, at least one question and the corresponding answer were missing from the publication. In addition, one of the editorial changes was relevant to the content, so that it could have influenced the impression of the readership.
"We regret the blurbs and errors" became "We regret the identified blurbs". The Republic had thus violated its duty to edit sources correctly, according to the Press Council.
A central component of the journalistic craft is the reproduction of spoken or written sentences. A quote may certainly be shortened and even rearranged to clarify what has been said. However, the Press Council's Declaration of the Duties and Rights of Journalists states in paragraph 3: "(...) You do not suppress important elements of information and do not distort facts, documents, images and sounds or opinions expressed by others(...)." Against this rule, the Republic violated. (SDA/swi)
