Empty formula with lots of content
Internet «Added Value» in the Crosshairs: Following a lawsuit filed by publishers, Bakom is investigating SRG's web activities.
The translation usually leaves a lot of room for interpretation.
Anyone can fill the empty formula with whatever content they like. Like this
Some things can obviously also be categorized as "added value".
subsume. SRG SSR thus describes the strategic cornerstone
of their Internet commitment. Added value, is the translation of "Added
Value". In terms of SRG Internet offerings, this means that the websites
of radio and television should complement their audio and video programs.
No more and no less. SRG quote: "The added-value approach
guarantees that the online offerings will not be placed alongside radio and
develop television into an independent third media product and
thereby competing with publishers."
Quite independent
It is not easy to define the point at which a media product
is independent. The web content of Radio DRS and the Tagesschau of
SF can also be watched by those who do not own a radio or television set.
calls. A person is by no means poorly informed if they are only in the
SRG network.
Swiss publishers see it that way too. And this realization prepares
them little joy. News on the web is the business of the newspaper houses,
but this is the opinion of the Swiss Press Association. The "added value" principle
on the news portal of the Tagesschau, which is the most
The offer that was criticized was indeed lived up to, but in a perverted form.
"It's not the Internet content that adds value to the television program,
Instead, the film contributions complement the text-heavy news offering," says
Hanspeter Kellermüller, Legal Consultant at the Swiss Press Association.
A look at Tagesschau-Online confirms this impression. Numerous
News articles are available without reference to a movie article from a
current or archived SF news program on the website. The
Most of the text material comes from news agencies and the
The pictures were not taken by SF in-house photographers, but
Keystone Reporter.
In mid-December, the Swiss Press Association therefore applied to Bakom
Complaint filed. SRG is currently preparing its statement
to the authorities in Biel. Until a decision is made, it may still be
months.
For SF editor-in-chief Ueli Haldimann, his online news service
clearly within the "added value" strategy, as he emphasizes - not
without even thinking about the "puny" and "miserable" news sites.
of many regional newspapers. "Every newspaper chlütterlet something
to itself," Haldimann announced in mid-December on the
SRG member portal mitreden.ch with.
Eloquent silence
The online departments of other SRG companies are
irritated by the idiosyncratic interpretation of the term "added value"
from SF. With an open visor, television is facing a lawsuit from publishers.
ran into. Anyone who leans as far out of the window as sf.tv,
should not be surprised by the reaction that has now taken place, says one
Senior employee who does not want to read his name here.
Nobody wants to talk openly about the subject. Loyalty to the
Employer first. But the communications departments of radio
and television are not prepared to comment on the online activities of their
company to take a stand. SRG media spokesman Simon Meyer writes
simply commented: "The offer is in line with our strategy of added value.
value", or: "With SRG SSR's Internet offerings, we create value for our customers.
added value for fee payers without any additional burden." As this
the publishers' complaint is pending with the Federal Office of Communications, the
more precise information at the present time.
It works with the radio
Although the publishers' lawsuit covers all of SRG's internet activities
the trigger for going to the supervisory authority was clearly the
new television news portal, more precisely: the expansion and development of the
Daily news and sports sections.
Other business units take a more pragmatic approach and define the
formula "added value" is more restrictive, or closer to the
actual wording (see above). On the website you will find
by Radio DRS (www.drs.ch) only contributions that refer to a broadcasted
refer to the program. The added value here is the possibility of
precise access to an archived program, if necessary
introduced with a current agency text. The only reference in
direction of the problematized "full-fledged news portal", is
a news ticker with agency reports that are published without editorial support
on the page.
Nick Lüthi
Let the professionals do it
In addition to all possible explanations for the
different approaches of radio and television to the medium
Internet, the visual appearance of the websites already speaks
volumes. Here is the image medium: bright, saturated colors, large images, heads,
Makers, self-presentation in weblogs. There the radio: sober, white.
The charm of a natural yogurt, but one with sugar. What you see,
is what you get. With wiki and podcast, you are technologically at
front line, but is not moving in the direction of the news business
the publisher.
Against this background, there is probably little that can be done to change the situation.
Experts in the field are of the opinion that the
"added value" principle has survived: Why an ambitious
editorial team when they successfully launch a new medium.
opens up? This would mean letting the professionals do what they
but under conditions that do not favor competition.
distort. (nl)
