In close cooperation with the media industry, the OFCOM is drawing up a national action plan (NAP) for the safety of media professionals in Switzerland. The measures are aimed in four directions: Protection against threats and hate speech on the net, physical protection e.g. at demonstrations, protection against abusive legal actions and better recognition of the role and profession of media professionals.
Even in Switzerland, there are threats and violence against media workers. The Corona pandemic has accentuated the situation. In the digital space in particular, many media professionals experience hostility and even hate speech. In accordance with a Council of Europe resolution, the OFCOM is working closely with the media industry to draw up a National Action Plan (NAP) for the safety of media professionals.
Based on an online survey and discussions with media professionals, four key concerns of media professionals emerge that the action plan aims to focus on:
- Better recognition of the role and profession of media professionals
- Better protection against threats and hate speech online (with female media professionals being particularly affected)
- Better physical protection, especially in the context of demonstrations
- Better protection against abusive legal actions against media professionals (so-called "Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation", SLAPPs)
The measures of the action plan are developed together with the media industry and subsequently implemented. The OFCOM is playing a facilitating and supporting role in this. Additionally, work which is already in progress will be incorporated. The action plan is expected to be published by summer 2023.
Key figures
- Safety: The Action Plan focuses on the physical and psychological integrity of media professionals in the analogue and digital space, as provided for in the Council of Europe Resolution on the Safety of Journalists. The Action Plan does not address broader issues such as the working conditions of media professionals.
- Media professionals: The action plan is aimed at persons who work journalistically for the press, broadcasting or online media in order to provide the public with information and to classify this information. According to this definition, bloggers can also be considered media professionals, depending on their activities. Influencers, however, are not included.
- Format: The Action Plan will have a recommendatory character and will not be legally binding.
For further information and suggestions, please contact the project team at OFCOM: nap@bakom.admin.ch
Further information:
- Online survey of February 2022 on the safety of media professionals in Switzerland (This document exists only in French, German and Italian; see below)
- Council of Europe Resolution on the Safety of journalists of June 2021
Last modification 26.01.2023
