Bernese cantonal parliament in favor of Keystone-SDA support

The cantonal parliament adopted a corresponding planning declaration by the state policy commission on the government's report on the possibilities of media promotion by 105 votes to 41.

This will enable the Bernese government to consider promoting Keystone-SDA's two regional offices in Bern and Biel. This is intended to strengthen the regional reporting of those newspaper, radio, TV and online editorial offices in the canton of Bern that rely on the Keystone-SDA offering for their reporting.

Several speakers of the parliamentary groups pointed out the importance of the news agency as a provider of information. The abbreviation SDA stands for "sobriety, objectivity and good information," said EVP spokesman Marc Jost (Thun).

The SVP, on the other hand, did not see any fundamental need for action in media promotion. Moreover, Keystone-SDA was a profit-oriented company that had "sold off" its assets to the shareholders before the merger, as SVP spokesman Markus Aebi (Hellsau) said.

State Secretary Christoph Auer pointed out that the Keystone-SDA company was considering separating the agency services from the commercial part.

Parliament does not want a foundation

By 104 votes to 41 with 1 abstention, Parliament instructed the government to examine measures that take into account the "great importance of independent, diverse quality journalism for the functioning of the democratic state".

The government should consider specific measures to promote print media in the French-speaking part of the canton. A motion to this effect was uncontroversial in parliament and also met with approval from the SVP.

The majority of the parliament, on the other hand, did not want to know anything about the establishment of a state-supported foundation for media promotion or the co-financing of media training programs. The corresponding motions put forward by the SP were clearly rejected by the Grand Council.

However, the government may examine how the training of young people's media skills can be promoted. A corresponding planning declaration was accepted by 96 votes to 48.

The report on the possibilities of media promotion by the canton stems from parliamentary requests. The Grand Council was concerned about diversity on the Bern square after Tamedia announced in 2017 the creation of a central editorial office in Zurich and thus the end of the full editorial offices of Confederation and Bernese Newspaper announced.

Legal basis necessary

Nothing has been decided with the approval of the report. What is needed is an amendment to the cantonal information law to create the legal basis for the funding measures. State Secretary Christoph Auer emphasized that a democratic constitutional state is dependent on functioning media.

Neither the government nor parliament wants direct media funding - for example, in the form of financial contributions to online media. However, the government wants to examine the establishment of a digital platform.

In the final vote, Parliament approved the report and the planning statements by 140 votes to 4. (SDA)