Controversial move to Zurich: National Council wants to put SRG in its place

The National Council approved five identical parliamentary initiatives by 120 votes to 54 with 10 abstentions. These had been submitted by the presidents of the SVP, CVP, Greens and BDP as well as the vice president of the SP.

They demand that radio information broadcasts continue to be produced primarily in Bern and Lausanne and TV information broadcasts in Zurich and Geneva. The National Council's preliminary committee had spoken out against this.

It found that it did not make sense to impose such legal requirements on SRG. The regional anchoring is central, said committee spokesperson Martin Candinas (CVP/GR). However, this was not in question, as the SRG management had assured him. Politics should not intervene in SRG's operational decisions. SRG needs entrepreneurial freedom.

Lack of political sensitivity

The supporters of the initiatives disagreed. They see journalistic diversity in danger. The SRG obviously lacks political sensitivity, they said. Parliament must therefore intervene.

Gerhard Pfister (CVP/ZG) spoke of a "fall from grace in terms of state policy". During the referendum campaign for the "No Billag" initiative, the SRG argued that it was needed to ensure cohesion in Switzerland. After the vote, it no longer lived up to this claim. However, the SRG must take into account political arguments.

More than local patriotism

Martin Landolt (BDP/GL) emphasized that it was about more than just a local patriotic issue. SRG argued that federalism was not a question of office locations. If it were allowed to get away with this, it would justify any further centralization.

Politicians must not allow this to happen. In the referendum campaign for the "No Billag" initiative, there was talk of "cohesion" up and down the country. The SRG had preached wine, now it was only serving water.

Different perspectives

Beat Jans (SP/BS) conceded that the proposed amendment to the law was perhaps not ideal. However, this could still be worked on. "We want to send a signal to the SRG that we are against the closure of the radio studio in Bern."

Centralization would destroy the "Idée Suisse", for which politicians had put their heart and soul into the "No Billag" referendum campaign. Jans added that the demand was not directed against the people of Zurich. However, it is simply the case that the view of some things is different from Zurich than from Bern or Basel.

No one-size-fits-all

Albert Rösti (SVP/BE) also recalled the "No Billag" vote. A clear majority of the population had spoken out in favor of public television and radio, said Rösti, whose party had supported the abolition of radio and TV fees.

He warned against a "uniform mash" as a result of centralization. The way in which SRG had decided to relocate the radio studio was evidence of an arrogance that he had rarely encountered, Rösti stated.

The Council of States' turn

The proposals will now go to the Council of States. The outcome is uncertain. The small chamber discussed the SRG's relocation plans at length last week, but no decision was made: Beat Vonlanthen (CVP/FR) withdrew his motion after it became clear that the vote would be against. At the same time, he expressed the hope that the SRG would reconsider its centralization decision.

However, clear words were also spoken in the Council of States. The SRG was described as "stubborn and uncompromising". The centralization decision is a slap in the face for all SRG supporters, it was said. The canton of Bern, the canton of Geneva and the Bern Capital Region Association also criticized the SRG. The latter decided to relocate last fall. 170 employees are affected. (SDA)