Tabloid Uses Health Crisis To Bash Scientists, Gets Bashed

Michael Hedges December 8, 2021 - Follow on Twitter

Journalistic populism describes quite well the editorial orientation of many tabloids. It ties conveniently with click-bait and outrage. Public health and safety are, then, but abstractions to be derided for sake of pocket change. Coronavirus policies are easy targets. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Well-known German tabloid Bild published (December 4) a cover-story - without byline - titled Die Lockdown-Macher (The Lockdown Makers) putting a spotlight on three Humboldt University scientists. The article, also online, suggested the scientists have taken public health policy decisions away from elected representatives. Published by Axel Springer, Bild is famous for exacting outrage and pandering to its right-wing populist audience.

And outrage followed, from certain quarters. The German Press Council (Deutschen Presserat) collected about a hundred complaints. "We are currently examining whether we can initiate proceedings against Bild.de,” said Press Council spokesperson Sonja Volkmann-Schluck to Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) (December 7). “The complainants criticized the wrong impression (in the Bild article) that scientists were responsible for coronavirus measures. This stirs up conspiracy theories and is also a call for incitement against scientists.” All German publishers are signatories to the Press Council code of conduct, which includes duty of care and truthfulness.

“This type of journalistic representation is dangerous and irresponsible in the debates about the cohesion of society in times of pandemics," said a Humboldt University executive committee statement. "Supporters of conspiracy theories receive media support for their view that science is a driver of political decisions. This type of reporting is far from any journalistic honesty. But this is not the case.”

“We understand the criticism and take it seriously,” said Bild spokesperson Christian Senft to news agency dpa. “Scientists deserve our respect.” Gears shifted, then, when the spokesperson quoted a statement from new Bild editor-in-chief Johannes Boie: “Anyone who governs this country, changes it and (who) determines people's lives must endure criticism. Especially by journalists.”

But the criticism has been remorseless. “Blaming scientists for political decisions. Pathetic,” noted esteemed critic for media portal Meedia Jens Schröder (December 6). “However, Bild has a certain history when it comes to insulting science.” Herr Schröder went on to pull an ancedote from the Bild piece from right-wing politician Frank Schäffler: “The winter lockdown! Now there is sharp criticism! Nobody should be excluded from society. The ban on firecrackers is utter nonsense!”

Daily newspaper Der Tagesspiegel offered a different point. “There perhaps two camps at Bild, the one around the former editor-in-chief and agitator Julian Reichelt and a second one around his successor Boie. In any case, the Bild editorial team is currently portraying itself as the wobbly dachshund of journalistic populism.”

A months-raging #MeToo scandal took down Herr Reichelt, known also for abrasiveness, in October only after The New York Times published (October 17) all the wretched details. Axel Springer “removed” him a day later. He, too, has weighed in, criticising critics of the aforementioned Bild article. “The (policies) that are about to come are the greatest political breach in the history of the Federal Republic,” he said on social media, quoted by Berliner Zeitung (December 6). “Many politicians have longed for and encouraged robbing me of the opportunity to defend Bild as the clearest and unmistakable voice (against) liberal thinking.”

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