Press funding must be included in the unification conference
No end in sight to the dispute over press subsidies: A conciliation conference is being held over the bill to reduce newspaper delivery fees. The Council of States is not satisfied with the concessions made by the National Council.
Still no end in sight to the press subsidy dispute: an agreement conference is being held on the bill to reduce newspaper transportation fees. The Council of States is not satisfied with the concessions made by the National Council. Both Councils only want regional and local press with limited circulation and smaller member papers to benefit from the indirect press subsidy. In the last round, the National Council abandoned its "watering can" concept, which would have continued to include large publishers, without resistance.
However, the National Council was more generous with regard to the amount to be used: compared to the small chamber, it doubled the compensation for the regional and local press from CHF 20 million to CHF 40 million and for the member press from CHF 10 million to CHF 20 million.
The Council of States did not agree with this on Wednesday. In its view, the 30 million is enough to guarantee the tariffs. It was not acceptable to help a part of the press to free distribution. The small chamber also opposed the National Council's decision not to limit the aid to small-circulation titles until the end of 2011.
Both councils have the same number of members in the conciliation conference. If your proposal fails in even just one of the two chambers, the entire bill is off the table.
However, the National Council was more generous with regard to the amount to be used: compared to the small chamber, it doubled the compensation for the regional and local press from CHF 20 million to CHF 40 million and for the member press from CHF 10 million to CHF 20 million.
The Council of States did not agree with this on Wednesday. In its view, the 30 million is enough to guarantee the tariffs. It was not acceptable to help a part of the press to free distribution. The small chamber also opposed the National Council's decision not to limit the aid to small-circulation titles until the end of 2011.
Both councils have the same number of members in the conciliation conference. If your proposal fails in even just one of the two chambers, the entire bill is off the table.
