Online offensive: the bourgeoisie want to call off SRF
SRF plans to launch an online campaign. Conservative politicians see this as a threat to private media. Support is coming from the left.
The NZZ reported on Swiss Radio and Television SRF's ambitious plans: in the near future, half of the German-speaking Swiss are expected to open the SRF News app every day. This corresponds to a doubling of reach - the current figure is around 25 percent. The new users are to be recruited from other offerings, including the news portals of the private broadcasters.
This strategy has made politicians prick up their ears. How the NZZ on Sunday writes CVP National Councillor Philipp Kutter, for example, is of the opinion that SRF is thus violating the consideration for private providers enshrined in the constitution. On the Internet, SRF is in direct competition with private media companies. Together with National Councillors from the SVP and FDP, Kutter now wants to know from the Federal Council in an interpellation how it can be ensured that SRF does not harm the private media online.
There is approval from the Swiss Media Association - but not from the left-wing camp. SP National Councillor Matthias Aebischer says that the rules are clearly defined and that he does not want to put any further obstacles in the way of the SRG. A strong SRG, which provides high-quality journalism, also needs modern digital offerings.
SRF itself waves its hand to the NZZ on Sunday off. The NZZ quoted from "one of many internal analyses", not from a decision document. The aim is to expand its own core public service offerings, not to weaken the offerings of private broadcasters. The aim is to remain focused on audio and video online and make the content available to private broadcasters.
