Pubdate: Thu, 28 Mar 2002
Source: Straits Times (Singapore)
Copyright: 2002 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd.
Contact:  http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/429
Author: Peter Kroll

WRONG VIEW OF GERMAN MEDIA GIVEN

I refer to the letter, 'Reports on German drug case disgusting' (ST, March 
26), by Ms Ryhan Beister.

I am a German living in Singapore and I feel that the comments Ms Beister 
has made about the reporting style of the German press is not correct.

She says she and her husband are disgusted by the stories regarding the 
Julia Bohl drug-trafficking case published in local German newspapers, 
including Bild and Express.

Bild and Express are the biggest and worst German tabloids. They thrive on 
cheap sensationalism, celebrity gossip and half-true stories.

Many Germans do not take their publications seriously, but may read them 
for entertainment, which I think is especially true for the more educated 
segment of German society.

She writes also that 'reporters for German television news shows have even 
conducted 'exclusive' interviews at hawker stalls and have made a mockery 
of those Singaporeans who agree that Bohl deserves the death penalty if she 
is found guilty'.

But the TV programmes featuring these interviews are from the so-called 
Free TV companies. This is a group of about eight TV stations from a total 
of approximately 30 that Germans are usually able to receive.

They do not request any payment and finance themselves through massive 
advertisements. They employ similar tactics as the tabloids to attract 
audiences.

There are plenty of serious newspapers in Germany, such as Die Zeit, 
Frankfurter Allgemeine, Suddeutsche and Die Welt, to name only the biggest 
ones.

There are also political magazines, such as Spiegel, Focus and Stern.

All of them, according to my observation, have reported the Bohl case 
responsibly. TV programmes with factual reports include ARD, ZDF, WDR and BR.

To my knowledge, the official German policy is to handle the case with 
reason, keeping things low profile and avoiding interference in Singapore's 
internal affairs.

Peter Kroll
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MAP posted-by: Beth