Regional TV stations to receive financial relief
Regional television stations with a public service mandate are to receive financial relief in the future. The stations’ self-financing requirement is to be reduced from 50 percent to 30 percent. This is provided for in an amendment to the Radio and Television Ordinance (RTVV).
On Thursday, the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport and Energy (DETEC) presented the draft for the partial revision of the RTVO. Until now, the annual fee share of regional television broadcasters that have a license with a public service mandate could not exceed 50% of operating costs. This share is now to be reduced by 20 percent.
TV stations now only have to finance 30 percent of their operating costs from other sources such as advertising and sponsorship. The revision thus takes into account the ever-increasing production costs, as announced by the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) on Thursday.
This adjustment is not associated with an increase in the fee share. However, the conditions for obtaining the fee share provided for in the license will be made easier. Furthermore, the digitization of cable networks is to be facilitated by reducing analogue distribution obligations. In the medium term, the partial revision of the RTVO provides for the complete abolition of the analog broadcasting obligation. The affected parties have until March 30, 2012 to submit their comments to OFCOM. The new provisions should then enter into force on July 1, 2012. (SDA)
The draft amendment to the RTVO is available online: Bakom.admin.ch.
(Image: Keystone)
