New ombudsman offices for radio and TV
The Independent Complaints Authority for Radio and Television has appointed new ombudsmen for private Swiss radio and television broadcasters. SRG continues to have its own ombudsmen. The appointments are in connection with the new RTVA.
The Independent Complaints Authority for Radio and Television (UBI) of the Swiss Confederation has appointed new language-regional ombudsman offices for Swiss radio and television broadcasters. The new offices are provided for in the revised Radio and Television Act (RTVA), which comes into force on April 1, 2007. According to the law, SRG will continue to have its own ombudsman's offices. The ombudsman for German-speaking and Romansh-speaking Switzerland will be Guglielmo Bruni, as announced by the UBI. Bruni is an independent lawyer in Basel and will continue to run the Tele Basel ombudsman's office until the end of March. Oliver Sidler, a lawyer in Zug, has been appointed as his deputy.
The UBI has appointed Denis Sulliger, a lawyer in Vevey, for the French-speaking regions and Mauro von Siebenthal, a lawyer in Locarno, for the Italian-speaking regions. The ombudsman offices within SRG are held by Achille Casanova (German-speaking Switzerland), Emmanuel Schmutz (French-speaking Switzerland) and Toni Hess (Romansh-speaking Switzerland).
The task of the ombudsman's offices is to deal with complaints within the meaning of the RTVA. Within 20 days of the broadcast, any person can complain about a program to the competent ombudsman's office. Under the new law, however, it is not commercials that can be objected to, but the content of editorial broadcasts by Swiss broadcasters. The ombudsman's office examines the case and mediates between the parties involved. It has no authority to make decisions or issue instructions.
The UBI has appointed Denis Sulliger, a lawyer in Vevey, for the French-speaking regions and Mauro von Siebenthal, a lawyer in Locarno, for the Italian-speaking regions. The ombudsman offices within SRG are held by Achille Casanova (German-speaking Switzerland), Emmanuel Schmutz (French-speaking Switzerland) and Toni Hess (Romansh-speaking Switzerland).
The task of the ombudsman's offices is to deal with complaints within the meaning of the RTVA. Within 20 days of the broadcast, any person can complain about a program to the competent ombudsman's office. Under the new law, however, it is not commercials that can be objected to, but the content of editorial broadcasts by Swiss broadcasters. The ombudsman's office examines the case and mediates between the parties involved. It has no authority to make decisions or issue instructions.
