Higher newspaper transport rates soon
Distribution, press subsidies or not: The Post wants more money from all publishers starting in 2008.
Distribution press subsidies or not: Swiss Post wants more money from all publishers from 2008 Swiss Post and publishers fought shoulder to shoulder in parliament for the new press subsidies - with the aim of ensuring that at least the small-circulation local and regional press and the non-profit member press can continue to count on CHF 30 million in federal subsidies after 2007 and thus enjoy the same newspaper transport rates. After winning the battle, publishers are now faced with a bitter disappointment: Swiss Post is now requesting a surcharge from the Uvek for all titles that will continue to benefit from press subsidies - an adjustment to the 4.4 percent increase in inflation that has occurred since 2004. Depending on the weight of a title, this only amounts to an increase of 1 to 1.5 centimes per copy. However, for a daily newspaper with a circulation of 30,000 copies, this would result in additional annual costs of around 165,000 Swiss francs. large-circulation newspapers and magazines have been waiting with bated breath to see whether and how Swiss Post will pass on the loss of 50 million Swiss francs in federal subsidies to the publishers. On August 28, Swiss Post announced how it would now like to "accommodate" these publishers by "bearing part of the lost subsidies itself". In response to an inquiry, Swiss Post spokesman Richard Pfister specified that Swiss Post intends to pass on CHF 20 million to the publishers by means of rate increases - provided the price watchdog agrees. At the same time, Pfister quantified the generosity of the yellow giant: From 2008, the latter will not only bear the remaining CHF 30 million, but also the CHF 17 million deficit that press distribution has already caused it to date, despite subsidies - a total of CHF 47 million.
Unclear effectsHowever, the Swiss Press Association does not find this view "at all generous", on the contrary: "Although we do not yet have a clear picture of the quantitative effects of the tariff increase, we doubt that a pass-on of 20 million francs is justified," says association managing director Hanspeter Kellermüller. His reasoning: Press distribution is part of the universal service mandate, which is good business for Swiss Post. In addition, the press makes a significant contribution to the basic capacity utilization of Swiss Post. That is why the alleged deficit of 17 million francs to date is not really comprehensible.
Kellermüller goes even further and demands that Swiss Post reduce its rates. "This is the only way to bring postal prices down to a level that can be expected if further liberalization of the postal market takes hold," he says. The association will also inform the Uvek and the price watchdog of this. At the same time, it is advocating an accelerated liberalization of the postal market. And finally, the association is endeavoring to adapt the current indirect press subsidies in the longer term so that they are no longer tailored solely to Swiss Post and its tariffs, but can also be applied to other logistics providers.
Markus Knöpfli
Unclear effectsHowever, the Swiss Press Association does not find this view "at all generous", on the contrary: "Although we do not yet have a clear picture of the quantitative effects of the tariff increase, we doubt that a pass-on of 20 million francs is justified," says association managing director Hanspeter Kellermüller. His reasoning: Press distribution is part of the universal service mandate, which is good business for Swiss Post. In addition, the press makes a significant contribution to the basic capacity utilization of Swiss Post. That is why the alleged deficit of 17 million francs to date is not really comprehensible.
Kellermüller goes even further and demands that Swiss Post reduce its rates. "This is the only way to bring postal prices down to a level that can be expected if further liberalization of the postal market takes hold," he says. The association will also inform the Uvek and the price watchdog of this. At the same time, it is advocating an accelerated liberalization of the postal market. And finally, the association is endeavoring to adapt the current indirect press subsidies in the longer term so that they are no longer tailored solely to Swiss Post and its tariffs, but can also be applied to other logistics providers.
Markus Knöpfli
