Universities Handbook of Switzerland

maz - the swiss school of journalism is the leading educational institution for journalism in Switzerland. It has a clearly defined mission: the training of younger journalists and providing further education for experienced professionals. We teach more than communication, we teach journalism. For us, it is an essential distinguishing feature: journalists must be able to master more than just the means and methods of communicating. They need to have more than just an elegant way of writing (smart/chic writing). They need to consider more factors than simply circulation or the number of viewers. They are not obliged to the publisher nor do they owe a duty to the media enterprise. Instead, they should be dedicated to the public to the readers, the listeners, the viewers, in short, to all citizens. One of our main priorities is to firmly place this sense of duty in the minds of students. Especially at a time when journalistic values are under grave threat whether it be through unfavourable economic conditions, or due to the rapid changes in technology. Whoever reduces the role of the journalist to that of an entertainer, a deliverer of content, a seller of information, also undermines public discourse and, in the end, our democracy.