Leutenegger strengthens lobby
Elections 03 The communications industry will debate the RTVA, press subsidies and advertising bans in parliament with more power in future.
Elections 03 The communications industry will debate the RTVA, press subsidies and advertising bans in parliament with more power in future.
"The shift to the right in the newly elected federal parliament is more of an advantage," says Piero Schäfer, spokesperson for the Swiss Advertising Association (SW), commenting on the federal elections. "The SVP has so far been the only party to consistently stand up for freedom of advertising. And it also tends to take a liberal line on the RTVA: although it is in favor of a strong SRG, it is also in favor of longer stakes for private broadcasters." "The SVP is not quite graspable when it comes to media issues," says Daniel Kaczinsky, Managing Director of the Swiss Press Association (CHP). "It is regrettable that the SP and the Greens have been strengthened. These are the parties that hardly defend our positions on factual issues."
At the personnel level, both Schäfer and Kaczinsky see hardly any losses for the media and advertising lobby thanks to the re-election of SW President Carlo Schmid (CVP), PR consultant Peter Weigelt (FDP), Hans-Jürg Fehr (SP), publisher of Schaffhausen-based AZ, and Affichage Board President Jean-Philippe Maître (CVP). CVP Councillor of States Filippo Lombardi, President of the private TV association Telesuisse, will have to run in the second round of voting in Ticino. "If he were no longer elected, it would be a bitter loss for the private TVs," says Schäfer.
According to both the SW and CHP, the communications industry even emerged stronger from the elections - because FDP candidate Filippo Leutenegger, Managing Director of Jean-Frey AG, made it into parliament. Schäfer speaks of a "decisive plus for the industry". Leutenegger is a good speaker and knows his stuff, he says. Kaczinsky agrees. He also emphasizes that a good knowledge of the subject matter is paramount. "We are happy to have anyone who knows something about it." This applies to both Leutenegger and Hans-Jürg Fehr, with whom the CHP is not always on the same stage. "But because they know the business, interesting dialogues do arise."
(mk)
"The shift to the right in the newly elected federal parliament is more of an advantage," says Piero Schäfer, spokesperson for the Swiss Advertising Association (SW), commenting on the federal elections. "The SVP has so far been the only party to consistently stand up for freedom of advertising. And it also tends to take a liberal line on the RTVA: although it is in favor of a strong SRG, it is also in favor of longer stakes for private broadcasters." "The SVP is not quite graspable when it comes to media issues," says Daniel Kaczinsky, Managing Director of the Swiss Press Association (CHP). "It is regrettable that the SP and the Greens have been strengthened. These are the parties that hardly defend our positions on factual issues."
At the personnel level, both Schäfer and Kaczinsky see hardly any losses for the media and advertising lobby thanks to the re-election of SW President Carlo Schmid (CVP), PR consultant Peter Weigelt (FDP), Hans-Jürg Fehr (SP), publisher of Schaffhausen-based AZ, and Affichage Board President Jean-Philippe Maître (CVP). CVP Councillor of States Filippo Lombardi, President of the private TV association Telesuisse, will have to run in the second round of voting in Ticino. "If he were no longer elected, it would be a bitter loss for the private TVs," says Schäfer.
According to both the SW and CHP, the communications industry even emerged stronger from the elections - because FDP candidate Filippo Leutenegger, Managing Director of Jean-Frey AG, made it into parliament. Schäfer speaks of a "decisive plus for the industry". Leutenegger is a good speaker and knows his stuff, he says. Kaczinsky agrees. He also emphasizes that a good knowledge of the subject matter is paramount. "We are happy to have anyone who knows something about it." This applies to both Leutenegger and Hans-Jürg Fehr, with whom the CHP is not always on the same stage. "But because they know the business, interesting dialogues do arise."
(mk)
