Just lazy magic?
Commentary Following the legal absolution of the German "Fernsehfee", Swiss TV providers are also likely to need alternative financing models soon, says Oliver Classen.
Commentary Following the legal absolution of the German "Fernsehfee", Swiss TV providers are also likely to soon need alternative financing models, writes Oliver Classen. "There is neither an actual nor a potential competitive relationship between the manufacturers of devices that can fade out commercials from television programs and the TV providers financed by advertising": This core sentence of a landmark ruling by the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court is likely to be a heavy burden on the heads of broadcasters in Munich, Cologne and probably also Zurich. After all, it states nothing less than the legal harmlessness and - even worse - unassailability of the so-called "TV fairy." Although the private TV broadcasters ProSiebenSat1 and RTL can still take their lawsuits against the stop-the-spots software to the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe on the grounds of "unfair and existence-threatening obstructive competition," this is unlikely to change the clean bill of health for the advertising wizard, who now goes by the name of Tivion. Only time will tell whether and to what extent this German legal situation can be transferred to local conditions.
However, it is already certain that the main product of the small Koblenz-based company TC Unterhaltungselektronik AG will not stop at the border. Firstly, Swiss TV customers also want to enjoy unadulterated movie enjoyment (again). And secondly, they can afford the necessary small change (currently 69 euros) even more easily than their northern neighbors.
Against this background, the new Swiss-German private television companies can only be congratulated on their unorthodox financing models. Both Züri Plus and the newly licensed U1 TV station rely mainly on non-advertising sources of income. What sponsorship already is for Hasli-TV's successor, interactive teleshopping is soon to become for the new private station in Schlieren.
In addition to the already hard-pressed regional broadcasters, the official Swiss color television, which is increasingly speculating on advertising money, could end up looking down the tubes. And that would undoubtedly be a particular irony of recent (media) history.
> Oliver Classen, Editor
However, it is already certain that the main product of the small Koblenz-based company TC Unterhaltungselektronik AG will not stop at the border. Firstly, Swiss TV customers also want to enjoy unadulterated movie enjoyment (again). And secondly, they can afford the necessary small change (currently 69 euros) even more easily than their northern neighbors.
Against this background, the new Swiss-German private television companies can only be congratulated on their unorthodox financing models. Both Züri Plus and the newly licensed U1 TV station rely mainly on non-advertising sources of income. What sponsorship already is for Hasli-TV's successor, interactive teleshopping is soon to become for the new private station in Schlieren.
In addition to the already hard-pressed regional broadcasters, the official Swiss color television, which is increasingly speculating on advertising money, could end up looking down the tubes. And that would undoubtedly be a particular irony of recent (media) history.
> Oliver Classen, Editor
