SRG: Walpen expects 6 percent less advertising revenue than budgeted for 2008
In an interview with the Sonntagszeitung, the SRG’s director general said he expects advertising revenue for 2008 to be about six percent lower than budgeted. However, thanks to higher sponsorship and license fee revenue, the SRG will still end the year with better results than expected.
In an interview with the Sonntagszeitung newspaper, SRG's Director General said that he expects advertising revenues for 2008 to be around six percent lower than budgeted. "We are expecting advertising revenue of CHF 297 million this year, which is CHF 18 million less than budgeted." Nevertheless, the overall result will be better than expected. With sponsorship and fee income exceeding the budget and cost savings made in 2008, SRG is expected to end the year with a deficit of only CHF 28 million instead of CHF 57 million.
Walpen also said that he did not expect any fee increases in the next two years. He also announced a continuation of the austerity measures. Walpen was skeptical about merging television and radio under one brand. Although this is an option that SRG is examining, he personally is rather against it. With regard to television director Ingrid Deltenre, Walpen does not believe that she will leave in the near future, as he said. Statements to this effect in an interview would probably not have been meant that way.
Walpen also said that he did not expect any fee increases in the next two years. He also announced a continuation of the austerity measures. Walpen was skeptical about merging television and radio under one brand. Although this is an option that SRG is examining, he personally is rather against it. With regard to television director Ingrid Deltenre, Walpen does not believe that she will leave in the near future, as he said. Statements to this effect in an interview would probably not have been meant that way.
