Project without concession
RadioBilingue is to rise from the ashes of Biel's Canal 3 radio station. However, the chances are slim.
RadioBilingue is to rise from the ashes of Biel's Canal 3 radio station. However, the chances are slim.
The bilingual Biel radio station Canal 3 is undoubtedly on a weak footing. The German-speaking audience has almost halved from 93,000 to 54,000 since 2001, and the 30,000 French-speaking listeners only listen for just 10 minutes a day. In addition, Radio Jura Bernois achieves two to three times higher figures in the Biel area. It's no wonder that the sponsor, a foundation, went red at the end of 2003. Frederik Stucki, one of the two Canal 3 directors, puts this into perspective: "A five-digit figure." For this reason, the foundation board dismissed both editors-in-chief at the beginning of the year and cut one editorial position. "But the station's bilingualism was never in jeopardy," emphasizes Stucki. However, the problems increased and, according to Stucki, the station would have had to file for bankruptcy if Espace Media Groupe had not stepped in in September.
But resistance formed in Biel. In June, the Canal Bilingue association was formed, followed a little later by a group of representatives from local business, politics and authorities, who worked together to develop a concept for a new station called RadioBilingue. The group is chaired by former FDP member of the Council of States Christine Beerli. "You don't have to slim down at the front, but at management level. Why does Canal 3 need two directors?" Beerli criticizes the Canal 3 cost-cutting exercises - and thus also points to one of the main points of the new concept: one director instead of two. The concept also envisages a public limited company with around 50 shareholders. There are currently ten shareholders - Beerli himself is not one of them, but the publishing house Gassmann (Journal du Jura / Bieler Tagblatt), the Cortesi office and Thomas Eichelberger, owner of a car garage, are. The plan is to have equal shareholdings and a maximum of five members on the Board of Directors.
The sponsorship group is counting on the existing municipal and cantonal subsidies and shares from fee splitting (see also page 13). However, based on Canal 3's current low advertising revenues, RadioBilingue's business plan is based on increasing income. Beerli: "So far, the local market has not been developed enough. We also believe that there will be a certain amount of solidarity thanks to the local anchoring."
In mid-September, however, Espace Media Groupe pre-empted the local efforts and announced that it would take over Canal 3 and transform it into a public limited company. The Spurgruppe was offered the opportunity to participate. As no second radio license is available for Biel/Bienne, it has not ruled out the possibility of cooperation, but nevertheless intends to submit a license application for its radio station on 25 October.
Local anchoring mandatory
"As the French frequency of Canal 3 has never been self-financing, there is a risk that a Swiss-German group will shut it down," fears Beerli. And Eichelberger adds: "We want a locally anchored management, which is why we want at least a 51 percent share." At Espace Media, neither CEO Albert P. Stäheli nor Chairman of the Board Charles von Graffenried wanted to comment.
The Spurgroup is hoping that DETEC will reject the takeover of Canal 3 by Espace Media. Then it would probably be easy to play with the ailing foundation. The fact that license renewals for all radios are also due in the next few weeks boosts hopes. René Wehrlin, the person in charge at Bakom, shakes his head at this, especially as the track group has not yet knocked on his door. He therefore makes it clear: a second license for Biel is not available and that of Canal 3 is not up for discussion. Even if DETEC were to reject Espace Media's solution, Canal 3's license would remain with the foundation. Only if the foundation were to file for bankruptcy would the concession become available - and would then be put out to tender. Wehrlin: "Nobody can apply for the Canal 3 concession today, not even as part of the concession renewals."
Wehrlin also questions whether the station's bilingualism is at risk. This is mandatory for the only station in Biel, not only in the license, but also in the Federal Council's directives. Otherwise, there would be proceedings for breach of the license, which could result in the license being revoked.
"On verra "The Biel publishing house Gassmann has been cooperating relatively intensively with Espace Media for years - the Bieler Tagblatt and Berner Zeitung are probably linked editorially and in terms of advertising in the Bern newspaper pool. The abrupt intrusion of Espace Media in the
Biel's radio market therefore also came as a surprise to publisher Marc Gassmann. "Above all, this has led to increased competition in the electronic media," he says diplomatically. Will the cooperation between the two newspapers also be affected? "On vera", says the publisher. And adds: "It's impossible to say at the moment."
However, he makes one thing clear: the two percent stake that the Canal 3 Foundation holds in TeleBielingue should never go to Espace Media, although the latter is openly toying with the idea. However, Gassmann would know how to prevent this with his right of first refusal. "TeleBärn already broadcasts in Biel today. So it wouldn't make sense to take over the direct competitor in the
to have the same BoD or shareholders," says Gassmann. (mk)
Two languages, one radio: whatever happens to Canal 3, the local Biel station must be bilingual.
Markus Knöpfli
The bilingual Biel radio station Canal 3 is undoubtedly on a weak footing. The German-speaking audience has almost halved from 93,000 to 54,000 since 2001, and the 30,000 French-speaking listeners only listen for just 10 minutes a day. In addition, Radio Jura Bernois achieves two to three times higher figures in the Biel area. It's no wonder that the sponsor, a foundation, went red at the end of 2003. Frederik Stucki, one of the two Canal 3 directors, puts this into perspective: "A five-digit figure." For this reason, the foundation board dismissed both editors-in-chief at the beginning of the year and cut one editorial position. "But the station's bilingualism was never in jeopardy," emphasizes Stucki. However, the problems increased and, according to Stucki, the station would have had to file for bankruptcy if Espace Media Groupe had not stepped in in September.
But resistance formed in Biel. In June, the Canal Bilingue association was formed, followed a little later by a group of representatives from local business, politics and authorities, who worked together to develop a concept for a new station called RadioBilingue. The group is chaired by former FDP member of the Council of States Christine Beerli. "You don't have to slim down at the front, but at management level. Why does Canal 3 need two directors?" Beerli criticizes the Canal 3 cost-cutting exercises - and thus also points to one of the main points of the new concept: one director instead of two. The concept also envisages a public limited company with around 50 shareholders. There are currently ten shareholders - Beerli himself is not one of them, but the publishing house Gassmann (Journal du Jura / Bieler Tagblatt), the Cortesi office and Thomas Eichelberger, owner of a car garage, are. The plan is to have equal shareholdings and a maximum of five members on the Board of Directors.
The sponsorship group is counting on the existing municipal and cantonal subsidies and shares from fee splitting (see also page 13). However, based on Canal 3's current low advertising revenues, RadioBilingue's business plan is based on increasing income. Beerli: "So far, the local market has not been developed enough. We also believe that there will be a certain amount of solidarity thanks to the local anchoring."
In mid-September, however, Espace Media Groupe pre-empted the local efforts and announced that it would take over Canal 3 and transform it into a public limited company. The Spurgruppe was offered the opportunity to participate. As no second radio license is available for Biel/Bienne, it has not ruled out the possibility of cooperation, but nevertheless intends to submit a license application for its radio station on 25 October.
Local anchoring mandatory
"As the French frequency of Canal 3 has never been self-financing, there is a risk that a Swiss-German group will shut it down," fears Beerli. And Eichelberger adds: "We want a locally anchored management, which is why we want at least a 51 percent share." At Espace Media, neither CEO Albert P. Stäheli nor Chairman of the Board Charles von Graffenried wanted to comment.
The Spurgroup is hoping that DETEC will reject the takeover of Canal 3 by Espace Media. Then it would probably be easy to play with the ailing foundation. The fact that license renewals for all radios are also due in the next few weeks boosts hopes. René Wehrlin, the person in charge at Bakom, shakes his head at this, especially as the track group has not yet knocked on his door. He therefore makes it clear: a second license for Biel is not available and that of Canal 3 is not up for discussion. Even if DETEC were to reject Espace Media's solution, Canal 3's license would remain with the foundation. Only if the foundation were to file for bankruptcy would the concession become available - and would then be put out to tender. Wehrlin: "Nobody can apply for the Canal 3 concession today, not even as part of the concession renewals."
Wehrlin also questions whether the station's bilingualism is at risk. This is mandatory for the only station in Biel, not only in the license, but also in the Federal Council's directives. Otherwise, there would be proceedings for breach of the license, which could result in the license being revoked.
"On verra "The Biel publishing house Gassmann has been cooperating relatively intensively with Espace Media for years - the Bieler Tagblatt and Berner Zeitung are probably linked editorially and in terms of advertising in the Bern newspaper pool. The abrupt intrusion of Espace Media in the
Biel's radio market therefore also came as a surprise to publisher Marc Gassmann. "Above all, this has led to increased competition in the electronic media," he says diplomatically. Will the cooperation between the two newspapers also be affected? "On vera", says the publisher. And adds: "It's impossible to say at the moment."
However, he makes one thing clear: the two percent stake that the Canal 3 Foundation holds in TeleBielingue should never go to Espace Media, although the latter is openly toying with the idea. However, Gassmann would know how to prevent this with his right of first refusal. "TeleBärn already broadcasts in Biel today. So it wouldn't make sense to take over the direct competitor in the
to have the same BoD or shareholders," says Gassmann. (mk)
Two languages, one radio: whatever happens to Canal 3, the local Biel station must be bilingual.
Markus Knöpfli
