To the point: Radio Tamtam, episode 2
For years, left-wing politicians have tried to convince us that only a strong SRG can truly fulfill the public service mandate in the audiovisual sector. This slogan was repeated ad nauseam. Anything that even remotely smacked of commercialism was considered the work of the devil.
For years, left-wing politicians have wanted to make it clear to us that only a strong SRG can really fulfill the public service mandate in the audiovisual sector. This slogan was proclaimed like a prayer mill. Everything that had the slightest appearance of commerce was the devil. Radio and television were to be controlled by the state. Fortunately, common sense and the justified fear of being seen as an eternalist media censor prevented the state from domesticating the print media as well.
Anyone who has followed the deliberations on the new Radio and Television Act (RTVA) in the National Council knows that the discussions about state controls and influence were long and sometimes very fundamentalist. This did not bode well. And that's how it turned out. The attempts to really liberalize the old RTVA failed in most cases. The radio and television broadcasters, in most cases publishers, allowed themselves to be seduced by the expected shares of the license fees. Only very few exponents warned against these golden fetters. The fee mana from Bern seemed too tempting.
What finally remained after endless debates was a law that cemented the strong position of the SRG even more. Liberalization occurred only where it did not hurt the SRG. The social democratic media minister Leuenberger, not exactly a friend of the popular electronic media, could be satisfied. The SRG was also satisfied, although it complained loudly about certain restrictions on advertising and about stronger controls by the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM). Most politicians were also satisfied. Those on the left because of the saved public service and state control, others because they thought it would now be easier (i.e. cheaper because of the expected concession money) to operate local radio and television successfully.
The licenses for the newly defined broadcasting areas were put out to tender. There was an inkling of the chaos that was to come. The licenses were granted, the chaos was there. Established, successful radio stations had to learn that they would no longer receive a license and would therefore have to stop broadcasting as of March 2009. Established local television stations were no longer licensed. They were replaced by broadcasters favored by cantonal politicians, who will no longer trigger the anti-city Zurich reflex, or local monopolists as in Lucerne.
What follows now is the absolute political folly: the cantonal Zurich SP, of all people, wants to save Radio Energy. And at the expense of SRG programs. Good for Ringier. Embarrassing for the comrades and their credibility.
Pierre C. Meier, Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
Anyone who has followed the deliberations on the new Radio and Television Act (RTVA) in the National Council knows that the discussions about state controls and influence were long and sometimes very fundamentalist. This did not bode well. And that's how it turned out. The attempts to really liberalize the old RTVA failed in most cases. The radio and television broadcasters, in most cases publishers, allowed themselves to be seduced by the expected shares of the license fees. Only very few exponents warned against these golden fetters. The fee mana from Bern seemed too tempting.
What finally remained after endless debates was a law that cemented the strong position of the SRG even more. Liberalization occurred only where it did not hurt the SRG. The social democratic media minister Leuenberger, not exactly a friend of the popular electronic media, could be satisfied. The SRG was also satisfied, although it complained loudly about certain restrictions on advertising and about stronger controls by the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM). Most politicians were also satisfied. Those on the left because of the saved public service and state control, others because they thought it would now be easier (i.e. cheaper because of the expected concession money) to operate local radio and television successfully.
The licenses for the newly defined broadcasting areas were put out to tender. There was an inkling of the chaos that was to come. The licenses were granted, the chaos was there. Established, successful radio stations had to learn that they would no longer receive a license and would therefore have to stop broadcasting as of March 2009. Established local television stations were no longer licensed. They were replaced by broadcasters favored by cantonal politicians, who will no longer trigger the anti-city Zurich reflex, or local monopolists as in Lucerne.
What follows now is the absolute political folly: the cantonal Zurich SP, of all people, wants to save Radio Energy. And at the expense of SRG programs. Good for Ringier. Embarrassing for the comrades and their credibility.
Pierre C. Meier, Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
