Tip of the week

On March 8, Switzerland will vote on the «Halbierungsinitiative», which seeks to reduce the radio and television licence fee. Filmmaker Dieter Fahrer vividly illustrates how the independence of the fourth estate – even here in Switzerland – can be undermined by seemingly harmless budget cuts. He provides insights into the daily work at the Bern-based newspaper «Der Bund», the «Echo der Zeit» program of Swiss Radio and Television, the online portal «Watson», and the publication «Republik». It quickly becomes clear: in uncertain times, when journalism is confronted with global misinformation, reliable information is essential. For a direct democracy, a strong public service is therefore indispensable.

Seventy years ago, in January 1956, Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s «The Visit» premiered at the Schauspielhaus Zurich. The tragic comedy made the Swiss author world-famous and continues to be performed on stages around the globe. The plot is universal: a woman returns to her hometown and puts its residents to a moral test using the power of money. The story has been adapted for film multiple times – the most striking adaptation comes from Africa. Djibril Diop Mambéty relocates the European village of Güllen to Colobane in Senegal. The questions remain the same: Is humanity for sale? Does morality have a price? And where is the line between justice and revenge?