Marc Walder (56) – “Corona is not just a flu” – “Blick” boss speaks after video leak

In an interview with SRF, the head of the Ringier Group, Marc Walder (56), reacts to the allegations that the “Blick” and other publications of the group reported too closely to the government about the corona pandemic. Last week, excerpts from a video conference became public in which Walder stated that all of the group’s publications in the corona pandemic would support the communicative concerns of governments.

Now Walder is commenting on the matter for the first time – and he puts it into perspective. His only concern was to emphasize that Ringier supported the governments in fundamental aspects of the pandemic such as masks, testing, vaccination and boosting. “Our attitude is that we take Corona very seriously.” He also defends the “look”. During the pandemic, he reported critically again and again: For example, when there were too few masks or vaccines or the booster campaign started relatively late.

Walder also spoke in detail to the “NZZ”. Here, too, he defends the course of his newspapers. “Our publications do not rely on cheap indignation journalism.” They were “proactive” in individual aspects of the pandemic campaign. This was also necessary due to the “absolutely extraordinary” situation, because the coronavirus would pose a great danger: “Corona is not just a flu. (…) In a pandemic that has cost the lives of millions, in a medical, economic and social crisis, the media have an overriding responsibility. “

When asked by the NZZ journalist whether he still felt comfortable in his attitude with regard to countries such as Hungary, in which Ringier also has holdings, Walder, however, showed remorse. In this context, it was “a mistake” to call for reports close to the government. Walder also regrets that in the video that has become public he asked the group not to reveal anything. And retrospectively, he can no longer stand behind another part of the interview: the criticism of the colleagues of the German “Bild” newspaper. These were partly responsible for anti-corona demos that got out of control, Walder had said. For this he now apologizes to the NZZ.

The video is from February 2021. It was published by the online publication Nebelspalter. It was recorded at a virtual event of the Swiss Management Society on the subject of digitization. Specifically, Walder stated: “We want to support the government through our media reporting that we can all get through the crisis well.” The media should not drive a wedge between governments and society.

The discussion about the Ringier course comes just a few months before the vote on the new media law. This provides for the media in this country to receive more financial support from the state in the future. After Walder’s statements were published, there were allegations that the government and media workers were too closely linked. Media scientist Andreas Fahr from the University of Freiburg told 20 Minuten: “Such cases could exacerbate the media’s crisis of credibility, which is already present in certain circles. Some parts of society could move further away from the media. “

However, even the bourgeois Nebelspalter himself should not be immune to criticism in the matter. The author of the article who accompanied the video, Philipp Gut, is himself on the board of the No Committee for the submission. Walder, on the other hand, continues to adhere to the journalistic independence of “Blick” and the other Ringier publications. “Those responsible for Ringier publications are responsible for what they write and what perspective they take. It has always been that way and it will stay that way. ”