Jolanda Spiess-Hegglin: Lawsuit against Ringier approved
The Zug Cantonal Court has ordered Ringier to hand over CHF 309,531 in profits to Jolanda Spiess-Hegglin. Ringier criticizes the ruling as factually unfounded and will appeal.
The Cantonal Court of Zug has ruled in favor of Jolanda Spiess-Hegglin's claim for disgorgement of profits against Ringier in the first instance. The ruling stipulates that Ringier must pay CHF 309,531 of the CHF 431,527 claimed to the plaintiff. Ringier criticizes, however, that the decision largely ignored the disclosed business figures and an expert opinion by PwC. According to Ringier, the profit actually achieved amounted to a fraction of the sum awarded.
Ladina Heimgartner, Head Media and CEO Ringier Media Switzerland, comments as follows: "The reporting on the events surrounding Jolanda Spiess-Hegglin and the Landammann celebration in 2014 is not one of this country's and Blick's finest journalistic moments. The way it was reported at the time is an expression of a tough tabloid style that Blick no longer practices, and that's a good thing."
The Cantonal Court of Zug had already confirmed in 2020 that Blick had violated the personal rights of the former cantonal councillor with its reporting at the time - a ruling that Ringier accepted. From the media company's point of view, the ruling that has now been handed down on the issue of profits is dangerous: "This ruling jeopardizes media freedom in our country," says Heimgartner. "If journalism is threatened with such fines, the willingness to report critically will be severely restricted."
Ringier has announced that it will appeal the ruling to the High Court of the Canton of Zug, as the company believes it lacks any factual basis and sends a dangerous signal for Swiss media freedom.
