New Swiss TV Channel S1 Planned
Former executives from Sat 1 and Pro Sieben Switzerland plan to launch an attack on SRF with S1. The channel aims to appeal to a mature mass audience with a strong Swiss identity.
According to Schweiz am Sonntag, the two initiators are Hardy Lussi, a former member of the board of directors of Sat 1 Switzerland and managing director of Pro Sieben Sat 1 Media Switzerland, and Mike Gut, who served as both program director and managing director of Sat 1 Switzerland and Pro Sieben Switzerland.
Lussi, who also worked on the Tele 24 project, believes that the conditions for private television in Switzerland have improved significantly. He is convinced that S1«s planned »Swissness« concept will resonate with viewers and advertisers. Under the slogan »S1 – the new Swiss channel,« around 30 percent of prime-time content is to be Swiss—compared to just 10 percent on 3+. Plans include a dedicated comedy show designed to break SRF’s »comedy monopoly« (Giacobbo/Müller). Documentaries and older entertainment formats such as »Homerun” (Sat 1 Switzerland) are also set to feature in the lineup. Lussi has also expressed interest in political programs—his wish would be to see “Roger vs. Roger” on TV.
Through a partnership with ZDF, S1 will be able to access the largest library of German-language programming. The fact that Lussi cites Rosamunde Pilcher films as an example, in addition to documentaries, shows that the channel is targeting the 35+ demographic—an audience similar to that of SRF. According to Lussi, the goal is to offer not a «niche product» but rather «programming suitable for the mass audience.» The reason for focusing on a more mature audience is clear: very young people are turning away from traditional television, while the target demographic is growing larger (due to the aging population).
The identities of the financiers are unknown. However, research by Schweiz am Sonntag shows that the funding does not come from private sources; rather, the station is backed by investors who bring «media, distribution, and marketing expertise» to the table. In addition, a major media company is said to be backing the project. If everything goes according to plan, the channel will launch in October 2013. The lean channel has no cameras or studios of its own and outsources marketing to an external partner. (hae/SaS)
