As of: April 8, 2024, 9:57 p.m
By: Marcus Giebel
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The beginning of the end: Helen Fares turns the SWR against her with her video from the supermarket including a call for a boycott of Israeli products. © Screenshot Twitter/@Antisemiticblog
The SWR is forced to relieve a presenter of her duties. Because she advertised a questionable app on social media.
Stuttgart – With this post she has obviously crossed the boundaries of good taste. Which ultimately cost her the job. As Südwestrundfunk (SWR) announces, Helen Fares will no longer appear as presenter of the digital dialogue format “MixTalk”. She was one of five hosts and is described by the broadcaster as a business psychologist and educational activist whose focus is “on feminist activist educational work on Instagram”.
SWR releases presenter from her duties: “Repeatedly expressed extreme political positions”
This is exactly where Fares has been posting various articles on the conflict since the renewed escalation in the Middle East as a result of the massacre carried out by Hamas fighters in Israel, which primarily victims civilians. She seems to place the question of guilt clearly with Israel, accusing the controversial Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fascism.
The SWR states that the reason for the release from her moderation duties is that Fares “has repeatedly expressed extreme political positions on her private social media account”. Mention is made of a video that she recorded while shopping in the supermarket in order to promote an app in English “that can be used to identify goods that are on a boycott list so that the purchase of such products does not harm the Israeli economy support".
Specifically, the journalist with Syrian roots is interested in chocolate milk that she likes. But since she found out that the manufacturer supports Israeli start-ups and is investing in the country, she prefers to turn to alternatives. And there are a lot of them.
SWR explains the end of the moderation work: Fares lacked neutrality
“Helen Fares had previously called for a boycott of Israeli products,” writes the SWR and emphasizes that “the post in question was not created in the context of employment for the SWR.” She was informed that she was required to remain neutral “to protect the independence and credibility of the program.” She “missed this in her social media activities”.
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Therefore, she violated an important principle of the SWR. Even if journalists are allowed to have their own political opinions, it must be ensured that “the independence of the SWR and each individual employee is not impaired or called into doubt by social media activities”.
According to the actual SWR broadcast schedule, Fares should have appeared again as host of “MixTalk” this Wednesday (April 10th). The topic is: “Dog desire: breeder, animal shelter or abroad” and should be far less politically charged. However, a colleague will now take over the moderation.
(mg)