NW1 continues to fight for license fee money

If the government of Basel-Landschaft has its way, the regional private TV station NW1 will not receive any fee money from fee splitting. According to the new Radio and Television Act (RTVG), only one broadcaster per region can expect fee money. As the Basler Zeitung reports, the money is to go to competitor Telebasel. When the broadcasting license for the whole of north-western Switzerland was extended in 2004, NW1 undertook to waive state fees in favour of the city station. This promise was included in a gentlemen's agreement signed by the two Basel governments with the mediation of the Federal Office of Communications. Now the two main shareholders Christian Heeb and EBM director Hans Büttiker, who both want to sell their shares in NW1, are distancing themselves from this. There is no formal decision by the Board of Directors. However, the gentlemen's agreement remains valid for the Basel government. NW1 no longer wants to cooperate with Telebasel, but the Basel government is still trying to find a political solution with both broadcasters. The Baselstadt government would support a political solution. The governments want to present their concept in three months at the latest.