Swiss Media Congress 2012
At the general meeting of Schweizer Medien, Hanspeter Lebrument welcomed the Federal Council’s decision to maintain the ban on online advertising in radio and television licenses. Filippo Leutenegger is the new chair.
By maintaining the online advertising ban, the existing balance in the Swiss media landscape between the private media providers and the SRG, which is financed by the license fee, will be largely maintained, said the President of Schweizer Medien on the Federal Council's decision. Filippo Leutenegger was newly elected to the presidency. The Executive Committee and members expressed their thanks to Filippo Lombardi, who is stepping down, for his great commitment to the publishers' association. He will remain a member of the association.
The Association's management was also in a solid financial position. A profit of CHF 11,316.36 was reported for the 2011 accounts (including financial income and after deduction of provisions for ongoing projects in 2012). The lower income compared to the previous year reflects the situation in the print media, as membership fees are based on circulation figures and these have also decreased in the current financial year, according to a statement from the association. In terms of ongoing media policy business, the revision of the Postal Services Act Ordinance is currently the main focus. Another important item on the association's agenda is the revision of VAT. According to the association, there is a risk that this will result in an additional burden for media users due to a higher tax rate.
