SRG wants to cooperate with private media houses
SRG Director General Roger de Weck comments in Tuesday's NZZ on the future role of SRG in the Swiss media market. In view of the globalization of media competition, he advocates partnerships with the private media.
Media developments are challenging all players. The SRG is seen by some private media companies (not all) as part of the problem - rarely as part of the solution, writes de Weck. The SRG shares responsibility for the future of the Swiss media. In a globalized world, it is part of the public service mandate to secure an independent media marketplace. Google, Facebook and Apple are increasingly dominating the game, with national or regional characteristics and needs hardly playing a role.
While Google and Facebook are growing in the online advertising market, the discussion here is restrictive as to whether advertising should be placed on SRG websites and to what extent SRG should be present on the internet. SRG does not see itself as an opponent, but rather as a potential partner for private media companies in order to jointly reinvest a share of domestic value creation in Switzerland. The undesirable development known from television, where a lot of advertising money flows abroad, will be reinforced on the Internet - unless the private Swiss media companies and SRG find partnerships to jointly market advertising space for targeted, user-specific advertising (targeted marketing) on the Internet.
Together against Google, Facebook & Co.
"Together, the private media and SRG can achieve a certain critical mass against Google, Facebook & Co," continued de Weck. They could mutually strengthen each other on the internet advertising market and reduce costs thanks to shared IT infrastructures. SRG is prepared to contribute much of its know-how and video material to partnerships with smaller media companies. Audiovisual will be the decisive factor on the net.
Furthermore, the longer the Internet and television remain separate, the less they can be separated, writes de Weck. It is therefore crucial for the future of SRG to be allowed to develop freely in hybrid TV. This is a prerequisite if it is to continue to hold its own against the major broadcasters in neighboring countries, including in conventional television.
To the complete article on Nzz.ch.
(Image: Keystone)
