Channel for opinion leaders
Two competitors are pulling in different directions on the same rope
Two competitors are pulling in the same directionSRG and Presse-TV (PTV) have announced that they will apply to the Federal Council for a definitive license for their recycling channel SF info (SFi). The joint channel, which has been available via cable on a trial basis since May 1999 and can only be received in the Zurich region, is to be launched on January 1, 2001, financed by advertising and broadcast throughout German-speaking Switzerland. Although SFi only achieved a market share of 0.4 percent in the last twelve months, according to SRG boss Armin Walpen, the channel was mainly used by opinion leaders "who cannot watch our programs at a certain time every evening".
Even though the two initiators want to run one together, they do not have the same ideas. In other words, a new channel is being created with two different sub-concepts. As a result, SRG and PTV want to share the channel (channel sharing) and are therefore each submitting their own license application. The current experimental license for SFi is in the hands of SRG, PTV is only a program supplier.
PTV would like to update existing SFi programs
While SRG Director General Walpen only wants to repeat the expensive SF DRS info programs on SFi - possibly in abridged form - and expects "very low additional costs", PTV Managing Director Hans Jürg Deutsch thinks further ahead: He would like to update his own programs if necessary.
He also envisions additional information such as stock market commentaries or the broadcasting of (business-related) press conferences - especially for opinion leaders. The PTV Board of Directors, which is made up of representatives from NZZ, Basler Mediengruppe and Ringier, has also commissioned a feasibility study. The aim is to clarify how much additional funding is required for this idea - and what advertising revenue can be expected.
At present, only sponsor information may be recycled on SFi. The project manager for the PTV part is Anton Schaller, who is currently trying to coordinate another private TV project in Eastern Switzerland (WW 22/00) and also coached TeleOstschweiz. Markus Knöpfli
Even though the two initiators want to run one together, they do not have the same ideas. In other words, a new channel is being created with two different sub-concepts. As a result, SRG and PTV want to share the channel (channel sharing) and are therefore each submitting their own license application. The current experimental license for SFi is in the hands of SRG, PTV is only a program supplier.
PTV would like to update existing SFi programs
While SRG Director General Walpen only wants to repeat the expensive SF DRS info programs on SFi - possibly in abridged form - and expects "very low additional costs", PTV Managing Director Hans Jürg Deutsch thinks further ahead: He would like to update his own programs if necessary.
He also envisions additional information such as stock market commentaries or the broadcasting of (business-related) press conferences - especially for opinion leaders. The PTV Board of Directors, which is made up of representatives from NZZ, Basler Mediengruppe and Ringier, has also commissioned a feasibility study. The aim is to clarify how much additional funding is required for this idea - and what advertising revenue can be expected.
At present, only sponsor information may be recycled on SFi. The project manager for the PTV part is Anton Schaller, who is currently trying to coordinate another private TV project in Eastern Switzerland (WW 22/00) and also coached TeleOstschweiz. Markus Knöpfli
