Yahoo News German media ‘was too uncritical of Angela Merkel's open-door refugee programme’
A study conducted by an influential German institute claims that Angela Merkel’s open-door refugee programme was not properly criticised by the media.
Researchers at the Otto Brenner institute say that German media treated anyone who was critical of the policy was deemed racist.
They say that journalists in the country failed to cover the migrant crisis responsibly after studying thousands of articles published daily when huge numbers of asylum seekers travelled to Germany in 2015 and 2016.
The study claimed that newspapers did not cover the crisis objectively, instead acting as “public educators”.
According to German newspaper Die Zeit, the study – due to be released next week – suggests the reporting ultimately led to a loss of confidence in the media.
Former Die Zeit editor Michael Haller, who led the research, told the newspaper: “Most journalists failed in their job as someone who is supposed to objectively explain the world to readers.”
He added that the opinions of German citizens, experts and asylum seekers were often ignored, with accusations of racism hurled at those who spoke out against the policy.
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German Chancellor Merkel closed the border in March last year after the migration route was cut off by Balkan states.
Thousands entered the country while the borders remained open, leading to a rise in support for the far right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
However, support has slumped to around 7% after the refugee influx slowed, compared to nearly 40% for Merkel’s CDU party.
Top pic: Rex
