Council of States stands firm on fees and media concentration
Despite the wishes of small local radio stations, the lower house is calling for flexible allocations in the distribution of license fees. A compromise appears to be emerging regarding the maximum number of licenses per broadcaster.
In the settlement of differences to the Radio and
TV Act, the Council of States is tough on several important points.
remained. On the issue of fee splitting, he continues to demand
a flexible solution. Private radio and television broadcasters should
3 to 5 % of the corresponding fee income in each case.
While this solution was uncontroversial at TV, an application for
fixe 4 % on the radio with only one voice difference. Maximilian
Reimann and Filippo Lombardi had campaigned for this. Lombardi
explained that the radios had always signaled that they had a fixed
solution, while the TV broadcasters would rather go with a
flexible sentence could live. Reimann referred to a group of
17 financially weak broadcasters, which have a clear relationship with the
wanted to receive fees.
The Council of States has exacerbated the difference with the National Council with regard to the
Organization of program supervision. It wants separate responsibilities
for editorial and advertising. As before, for the former the
Independent Complaints Authority (UBI), for the latter the
Federal authorities. In the first reading, it had still granted powers to the UBI.
for advertising, insofar as this relates to aspects of the free
decision-making. Thomas Pfisterer as spokesperson for the preliminary
Commission emphasized that, unlike the program, advertising is not about
to protect against manipulation by checking the content:
"Advertising is by definition one-sided and to a certain extent aims to
manipulate. She should be able to do that," said the FDP member of the Council of States. It is about
that the advertising is recognizable as such, so that the viewers
could judge them. His party colleague Fritz Schiesser reported
doubts, however, whether the separation of the two areas of competence
in view of new forms of advertising linked to the program in the future
can be clearly drawn at all.
The Board of Directors rejects a restriction on the number of concessions per organizer.
Council of States. As before, it is demanding the deletion
a proposal by the National Council that only two radio and two
TV licenses should be permitted. In the discussion, CVP Councillor
However, Rolf Escher has already proposed a compromise solution: In the
The preliminary consultation committee only narrowly defeated a motion which, although
agreed to the restriction, but only for concessions with
share of fees. This could "in the next round
be the mediation solution," said Escher, adding that he himself would in any case
vote for a restriction next time.
The Council of States also upheld the so-called "Lex Russi":
Only permanent employees of a broadcaster should be prohibited from working on
to advertise this, not to all regular contributors, as is the case with the
the National Council is calling for. This should enable athletes in particular to
to act as both commentators and testimonials.
The Council is particularly friendly towards the Swissinfo foreign service.
It has not only reduced the federal government's contribution from half to "at least
half", but also insists that SRG programs must be available for
be allowed to advertise abroad. "In our opinion, Swissinfo could use this
money; this would also relieve the burden on the federal government," said Rolf
Escher. Abroad in particular, advertising restrictions are often very much
larger.
The Council of States has relented on the provisions on alcohol advertising.
It is completely banned for television programs in and
foreign organizers, which are distributed nationally or regionally
and are aimed specifically at the Swiss public. The
Competence of the Federal Council to protect health and young people
to declare certain advertising mailings inadmissible, the Council has now
approved.
The two councils are now also in agreement on the issue of the
audience research. The Grand Chamber had previously established a foundation
while the smaller company preferred an industry solution.
After the industry itself developed a foundation solution and
the Council of States no longer saw any reason for opposition. Only
It made significant changes to the National Council's proposal on two points:
The Foundation may also delegate its tasks to companies under its control.
subsidiaries, and the Federal Council should not transfer at least too
data to be collected. The Council did not address a
The industry's wish: it wanted the Federal Council to appoint the members of the
Board of Trustees "at the request of the persons concerned". In the event that
the industry could not agree on applications, the Council prefers
the wording that the Federal Council shall consider proposals from the
taken into account.
The "industry solution" was formulated by the SRG, the
Telesuisse private television association and the Swiss Television Association
Private radio stations. How this agreement came about and what it means for the
SRG subsidiary Publica Data means, read subscribers to Werbewoche
here:
TV Act, the Council of States is tough on several important points.
remained. On the issue of fee splitting, he continues to demand
a flexible solution. Private radio and television broadcasters should
3 to 5 % of the corresponding fee income in each case.
While this solution was uncontroversial at TV, an application for
fixe 4 % on the radio with only one voice difference. Maximilian
Reimann and Filippo Lombardi had campaigned for this. Lombardi
explained that the radios had always signaled that they had a fixed
solution, while the TV broadcasters would rather go with a
flexible sentence could live. Reimann referred to a group of
17 financially weak broadcasters, which have a clear relationship with the
wanted to receive fees.
The Council of States has exacerbated the difference with the National Council with regard to the
Organization of program supervision. It wants separate responsibilities
for editorial and advertising. As before, for the former the
Independent Complaints Authority (UBI), for the latter the
Federal authorities. In the first reading, it had still granted powers to the UBI.
for advertising, insofar as this relates to aspects of the free
decision-making. Thomas Pfisterer as spokesperson for the preliminary
Commission emphasized that, unlike the program, advertising is not about
to protect against manipulation by checking the content:
"Advertising is by definition one-sided and to a certain extent aims to
manipulate. She should be able to do that," said the FDP member of the Council of States. It is about
that the advertising is recognizable as such, so that the viewers
could judge them. His party colleague Fritz Schiesser reported
doubts, however, whether the separation of the two areas of competence
in view of new forms of advertising linked to the program in the future
can be clearly drawn at all.
The Board of Directors rejects a restriction on the number of concessions per organizer.
Council of States. As before, it is demanding the deletion
a proposal by the National Council that only two radio and two
TV licenses should be permitted. In the discussion, CVP Councillor
However, Rolf Escher has already proposed a compromise solution: In the
The preliminary consultation committee only narrowly defeated a motion which, although
agreed to the restriction, but only for concessions with
share of fees. This could "in the next round
be the mediation solution," said Escher, adding that he himself would in any case
vote for a restriction next time.
The Council of States also upheld the so-called "Lex Russi":
Only permanent employees of a broadcaster should be prohibited from working on
to advertise this, not to all regular contributors, as is the case with the
the National Council is calling for. This should enable athletes in particular to
to act as both commentators and testimonials.
The Council is particularly friendly towards the Swissinfo foreign service.
It has not only reduced the federal government's contribution from half to "at least
half", but also insists that SRG programs must be available for
be allowed to advertise abroad. "In our opinion, Swissinfo could use this
money; this would also relieve the burden on the federal government," said Rolf
Escher. Abroad in particular, advertising restrictions are often very much
larger.
The Council of States has relented on the provisions on alcohol advertising.
It is completely banned for television programs in and
foreign organizers, which are distributed nationally or regionally
and are aimed specifically at the Swiss public. The
Competence of the Federal Council to protect health and young people
to declare certain advertising mailings inadmissible, the Council has now
approved.
The two councils are now also in agreement on the issue of the
audience research. The Grand Chamber had previously established a foundation
while the smaller company preferred an industry solution.
After the industry itself developed a foundation solution and
the Council of States no longer saw any reason for opposition. Only
It made significant changes to the National Council's proposal on two points:
The Foundation may also delegate its tasks to companies under its control.
subsidiaries, and the Federal Council should not transfer at least too
data to be collected. The Council did not address a
The industry's wish: it wanted the Federal Council to appoint the members of the
Board of Trustees "at the request of the persons concerned". In the event that
the industry could not agree on applications, the Council prefers
the wording that the Federal Council shall consider proposals from the
taken into account.
The "industry solution" was formulated by the SRG, the
Telesuisse private television association and the Swiss Television Association
Private radio stations. How this agreement came about and what it means for the
SRG subsidiary Publica Data means, read subscribers to Werbewoche
here:
