French-speaking Swiss radio and television RTS cuts 55 jobs
Radio and Television of Western Switzerland (RTS) plans to save 10 million francs in 2025 by cutting 55 full-time positions. RTS announced this on Thursday. The company cited a general decline in revenue and the situation regarding license fees as the reasons for the cuts.
As the share of the fees charged by SRG will not be adjusted in line with inflation, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG) will have to save a total of CHF 50 million next year. RTS in French-speaking Switzerland will be affected to the tune of ten million francs. Director Pascal Crittin is quoted in the press release as saying that RTS wants to do everything it can to limit the impact on staff. The company is relying "as far as possible on natural fluctuations".
This means that fewer than 30 of the 1800 employees are to be made redundant. Savings are to be made primarily in production. The production of programs is to be simplified - this applies to news as well as sports and magazine formats. Certain non-priority programs could be cut altogether. All proposed measures will be presented to staff for consultation.
Falling fees
These newly announced cost-cutting measures are in addition to those that have already been implemented since 2016. The elimination of the full adjustment to inflation and the commercial losses would also force RTS to make major savings in 2026, the company warns. From 2027, RTS will then have to take into account the proposed gradual reduction in fees.
The future cost-cutting measures will also be implemented as part of the digital transformation, RTS explains. This has been successfully initiated. The company wants to continue to adapt to rapidly changing user behavior and audience needs. (SDA)
