2 Ausgaben kostenlos für Sie
Fachmagazin taxi heute: Ihr Zugang zu exklusiven Inhalten rund um die Taxi- und Mietwagenbranche.
Aktueller Termin
Meist gelesen
Study à la carte – Lucerne University and Uber in collaboration
As reported by the non-profit news portal "infosperber," the Swiss Sunday newspaper (Tamedia) presented a graphic with the headline: "5,500 full-time jobs in Switzerland depend on Uber." Upon closer inspection, the Uber and Uber Eats jobs shrink to 4,300 positions - all other jobs are attributed to gastronomy and other categories that allegedly arose thanks to Uber. The data - remarkably - comes exclusively from Uber itself. A study commissioned by Uber at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and paid around 50,000 francs forms the basis. It is hardly surprising that the graphic appeared prominently - with the approval of Licht and Tamedia.
Even the summary carries the tone of the client: Since 2013, Uber has "contributed to innovation in the mobility sector, to work and to value creation." Furthermore, Uber is depicted as an integral part of the urban transport system - as a flexible, accessible alternative to traditional transport. What is clear is: A critical distance is missing. The group "Others," who supposedly find work thanks to Uber, also includes gas station attendants, insurance employees, and auto mechanics according to the study.
Despite all indications of potential conflicts of interest, the Sunday newspaper dedicated an entire page to the study—the critical perspective was absent. Other Tamedia papers subsequently followed with template-like positive reporting.
University Marketing and Media Affinity
The Lucerne University sees itself not least as a training ground for the media—and it pays off. Research shows that studies from Lucerne were cited more than 1,000 times in Swiss media within a year, when the terms "study" and "Lucerne University" were used.
Tamedia newspapers regularly take up such studies willingly. It remains questionable what share journalistic research and critical examination have in the adoption—and what share is merely the provision of supplied material?
It is noticeable: The clients benefit directly. Uber suggests creating revenue and jobs – and receives high media reach. The news portal "infosperber" criticizes that the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts delivers subservient project work on customer demand. And the media in turn willingly adopt the results – without pointing out the methodological limits of the respective studies.
Client finances - University produces - Press publishes
The tone remains approving, the distance is lacking. Under the label "study," advertising is presented in a scientific guise. In Germany too, Uber had attracted attention with "organized" studies, which then found an audience in the press. Most recently with the analysis by an employee of the Technical University of Berlin, who under the title "Deconstruction of the Taxi Victim Narrative" on behalf of Uber suggested that the taxi fare had supposedly risen disproportionately in real terms over the last decades.
It would be beneficial for the media landscape if more critical evaluation and less mere forwarding would take place. In this sense: Let us keep a scrutinizing eye on whose interests and money are behind the respective information!
Content automatically translated.
Taxi-Fahrzeuge (Pkw) , Taxi-Newsletter, Taxameter, Taxi-Fahrer , BZP – Deutscher Taxi- und Mietwagenverband , Straßenverkehrsordnung (StVO) , Krankenbeförderung , Weiterbildung , Taxi-Konzessionen , Verkehrspolitik , Mietwagenbranche , Taxi-Apps , Berufskraftfahrer-Qualifikations-Gesetz BKrFQG) , Taxizentralen , Personal, Gehälter, Arbeitsschutz , Wirtschaftsnachrichten , Werbung , Taxi-Folierung , Taxi-Umrüster , Straßenverkehr , Elektromobilität, Taxifuhrpark und -flottenmanagement , Taxi-Versicherungen , Hybrid, Diesel, Erdgas , Taxi-Magazin
