Advertising ban on SF info falls
The TV channel SF info is set to be allowed to air commercials in the future. The private broadcasters want to prevent this.
SF info television is to be allowed to broadcast advertising in future. The private broadcasters want to prevent this. After the new Radio and Television Act came into force on April 1, SRG SSR will receive a new license. The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) submitted the draft for consultation at the beginning of May. One innovation in particular is striking: all SRG SSR television channels will now be treated equally with regard to advertising. Tacitly, the draft license thus also allows the SF info repeat channel the same amount of advertising that Swiss Television (SF) was previously only allowed to broadcast on its two main channels. SF is already in the starting blocks: "Publisuisse is working with SF to prepare the commercial offerings," says SRG spokesperson Daniel Steiner on request. The channel began trial operation via the cable networks in the greater Zurich area in May 1999. At the beginning of 2001, the channel received a definitive license that allowed it to broadcast on cable networks throughout Switzerland and also via satellite - but only after a tough struggle because the private local broadcasters had resisted advertising. After all, the local TV stations almost all operate according to the same pattern as SF info: they also repeat the information programs every hour. SF info was therefore only approved six years ago as a completely advertising-free program. Even sponsorship, for example for "Meteo", was not possible until now.
Private individuals fear expansionWhile the ban on advertising on SF info is now to be dropped. But the channel will remain what it is. According to the new concession, more than the hourly repetition of information programs and the occasional broadcast of major events - such as the World Economic Forum or debates from the Federal Parliament - is not possible. However, the channel could still be attractive for commercials. It is the only SRG service to be broadcast unencrypted via satellite. And because SF info almost exclusively broadcasts self-produced repeats, the SF channel generates hardly any costs. Even low advertising revenues are therefore likely to be of interest.
The fact that the ban on advertising on SF info is to be dropped has met with harsh criticism from SRG SSR's competitors. The consultation period for the draft of the new SRG license has just expired. In their statements, Sat1 Schweiz and ProSieben as well as 3+, StarTV and the Swiss Press Association demand that the ban on advertising on SF info should remain in place. Sat1 also fears that SF info could be upgraded with attractive sports broadcasts because the term "events of national importance" in the concession allows this in principle.
Together with the HDTV trial channel HD suisse, which will begin operation in December of this year, SRG SSR could double its commercial offering in German-speaking Switzerland in one fell swoop, according to the comments. Accordingly, the private broadcasters are also calling for a ban on advertising for HD suisse. 3+ and the Swiss Press Association even want to cancel HD suisse altogether. SRG spokesperson Daniel Steiner vehemently opposes this: "If you look at the market shares in 2006, the following picture emerges: SF1 23.7 percent, SF2 9.7 percent and SF info 1.1 percent. This means that SRG SSR's commercial offering in German-speaking Switzerland will increase by 3.3 percent with SF info. The test channel HD suisse will not account for a noticeable increase in the volume of offerings due to its very limited reception."
The new concession requires SRG SSR for the first time to comply with quality standards that explicitly distinguish it from commercial broadcasters. In the draft of the license, these are described as credibility, a sense of responsibility, relevance and journalistic professionalism. The federal government has never imposed such requirements on SRG before.
In the consultation, the journalists' associations welcomed the new quality article in the draft concession. SRG SSR is also positive, but takes issue with the wording that "market share" should not be the primary deciding factor when measuring success. Such a "performance-independent approach" is dangerous because it could call into question the acceptance of fees, writes SRG.
SRG is also critical of the fact that its online offerings are explicitly restricted to information that is directly related to the programs. This was already a hotly debated point during the legislative process. This is because Bakom has complied with the wishes of the press, which did not want its online offerings to be in competition. In fact, the Swiss Press Association has now gone one better in its statement: It proposes defining an upper limit on how much the SRG may spend on online offerings.
Adrian Scherrer
Private individuals fear expansionWhile the ban on advertising on SF info is now to be dropped. But the channel will remain what it is. According to the new concession, more than the hourly repetition of information programs and the occasional broadcast of major events - such as the World Economic Forum or debates from the Federal Parliament - is not possible. However, the channel could still be attractive for commercials. It is the only SRG service to be broadcast unencrypted via satellite. And because SF info almost exclusively broadcasts self-produced repeats, the SF channel generates hardly any costs. Even low advertising revenues are therefore likely to be of interest.
The fact that the ban on advertising on SF info is to be dropped has met with harsh criticism from SRG SSR's competitors. The consultation period for the draft of the new SRG license has just expired. In their statements, Sat1 Schweiz and ProSieben as well as 3+, StarTV and the Swiss Press Association demand that the ban on advertising on SF info should remain in place. Sat1 also fears that SF info could be upgraded with attractive sports broadcasts because the term "events of national importance" in the concession allows this in principle.
Together with the HDTV trial channel HD suisse, which will begin operation in December of this year, SRG SSR could double its commercial offering in German-speaking Switzerland in one fell swoop, according to the comments. Accordingly, the private broadcasters are also calling for a ban on advertising for HD suisse. 3+ and the Swiss Press Association even want to cancel HD suisse altogether. SRG spokesperson Daniel Steiner vehemently opposes this: "If you look at the market shares in 2006, the following picture emerges: SF1 23.7 percent, SF2 9.7 percent and SF info 1.1 percent. This means that SRG SSR's commercial offering in German-speaking Switzerland will increase by 3.3 percent with SF info. The test channel HD suisse will not account for a noticeable increase in the volume of offerings due to its very limited reception."
The new concession requires SRG SSR for the first time to comply with quality standards that explicitly distinguish it from commercial broadcasters. In the draft of the license, these are described as credibility, a sense of responsibility, relevance and journalistic professionalism. The federal government has never imposed such requirements on SRG before.
In the consultation, the journalists' associations welcomed the new quality article in the draft concession. SRG SSR is also positive, but takes issue with the wording that "market share" should not be the primary deciding factor when measuring success. Such a "performance-independent approach" is dangerous because it could call into question the acceptance of fees, writes SRG.
SRG is also critical of the fact that its online offerings are explicitly restricted to information that is directly related to the programs. This was already a hotly debated point during the legislative process. This is because Bakom has complied with the wishes of the press, which did not want its online offerings to be in competition. In fact, the Swiss Press Association has now gone one better in its statement: It proposes defining an upper limit on how much the SRG may spend on online offerings.
Adrian Scherrer
