I think this documentary is unintentionally revealing. I watched all 7 episodes like I would watch a car accident. It was gruesome but I still couldn't avert my eyes. However, sometimes I wanted to shut my ears because the music was suggesting drama and tension where often there was none.
And there is Julian Reichelt who really reminded me of Til Schweiger in some scenes: not overly sophisticated, not very articulate or well-spoken, a little chauvinist and an ostentatiously tough guy. Even his looks are similar to those of Til.
Then there are the reporters, who are in general more educated than their readership, but relenetlessly try to find arguments why it's good to work for a tabloid newspaper. The best argument comes from a reporter who says that he considers his move from the FAZ (quality press) to the BILD Zeitung a promotion, because at the FAZ he could or had to use elaborate language but now he is challenged to transform or condense very difficult topics into one catchy headline. But rather than condensing difficult topics they actually oversimplify matters so that their readers can feel the shock, outrage or indignation that really is the currency of the BILD. Reporters probably have to be in such denial in order to look at their reflection in the mirror every morning.
One typical example is given: According to the BILD, China is responsible for the Corona virus, hasn't produced anything but viruses in the last 60 years and therefore must foot the multi-billion dollar bill. Yeah, right, that really is condensation and has got nothing to do with xenophobic simplification. Thank you, BILD. By the way, according to this logic, we would also be in our rights to blame Africa for Aids and make them pay. Oh, I forgot, we're already making Africa pay.
There are worthy causes, too, like the cover story about the King of Thailand who thrives and prospers in his hotel in the south of Germany while his people are being oppressed. But again, the BILD just wants their readers to be appalled about this. The real investigative research is done by papers such as the SZ oder TV-channels like WDR who were able to prove that the King of Thailand is governing his country illegally from Germany.
Another revealing moment ist when a famous ex-soccerplayer (Mehmet Scholl) says that the BILD has so much information on pretty much everyone that you had better work with them or else they will destroy you. And that's exactly how they roll: give us information or we'll publish sensitive information about you. I don't know about you, but to me there is only one word for it: extortion.
I wonder if the filmmakers actually understood that Julian Reichelt was manipulating them and pushing his own agenda which is to promote the BILD TV channel. Nobody I know has heard about the TV Channel and it's pretty irrelevant in the German media landscape. The documentary is however portraying it as the next big thing. It's also hilarious to see the hubris of both Julian Reichelt and his vice Paul Ronzheimer who appear on their own TV-channel and discuss topical issues as if their opinion would influence politics somehow.
So, if you want to learn how deluded the journalists at the BILD Zeitung are, then this is the right documentary for you.
And there is Julian Reichelt who really reminded me of Til Schweiger in some scenes: not overly sophisticated, not very articulate or well-spoken, a little chauvinist and an ostentatiously tough guy. Even his looks are similar to those of Til.
Then there are the reporters, who are in general more educated than their readership, but relenetlessly try to find arguments why it's good to work for a tabloid newspaper. The best argument comes from a reporter who says that he considers his move from the FAZ (quality press) to the BILD Zeitung a promotion, because at the FAZ he could or had to use elaborate language but now he is challenged to transform or condense very difficult topics into one catchy headline. But rather than condensing difficult topics they actually oversimplify matters so that their readers can feel the shock, outrage or indignation that really is the currency of the BILD. Reporters probably have to be in such denial in order to look at their reflection in the mirror every morning.
One typical example is given: According to the BILD, China is responsible for the Corona virus, hasn't produced anything but viruses in the last 60 years and therefore must foot the multi-billion dollar bill. Yeah, right, that really is condensation and has got nothing to do with xenophobic simplification. Thank you, BILD. By the way, according to this logic, we would also be in our rights to blame Africa for Aids and make them pay. Oh, I forgot, we're already making Africa pay.
There are worthy causes, too, like the cover story about the King of Thailand who thrives and prospers in his hotel in the south of Germany while his people are being oppressed. But again, the BILD just wants their readers to be appalled about this. The real investigative research is done by papers such as the SZ oder TV-channels like WDR who were able to prove that the King of Thailand is governing his country illegally from Germany.
Another revealing moment ist when a famous ex-soccerplayer (Mehmet Scholl) says that the BILD has so much information on pretty much everyone that you had better work with them or else they will destroy you. And that's exactly how they roll: give us information or we'll publish sensitive information about you. I don't know about you, but to me there is only one word for it: extortion.
I wonder if the filmmakers actually understood that Julian Reichelt was manipulating them and pushing his own agenda which is to promote the BILD TV channel. Nobody I know has heard about the TV Channel and it's pretty irrelevant in the German media landscape. The documentary is however portraying it as the next big thing. It's also hilarious to see the hubris of both Julian Reichelt and his vice Paul Ronzheimer who appear on their own TV-channel and discuss topical issues as if their opinion would influence politics somehow.
So, if you want to learn how deluded the journalists at the BILD Zeitung are, then this is the right documentary for you.
