SSM: More money for education at Radio/TV
As part of the revision of the Radio and Television Act, the National Council has decided to allocate funds from the unused license fee reserve to education and training as well.
The Swiss Syndicate of Media Professionals SSM is pleased that the National Council decided today, Thursday, to use part of an unused fee reserve in the private radio and television sector for education and training, among other things. After the Council of States had already taken this decision and the National Council reverted to its first negative decision, this decision is now final. The SSM has already been campaigning for several months for this strengthening of education and training and was able to rely on the cooperation of the associations of private radio stations (VSP, RRR), private television (Telesuisse) and the Swiss Media Publishers Association to convince the National Council, as the SSM writes in a press release.
The matter was dealt with in connection with the overall revision of the Radio and Television Act (RTVA). In the spring session, the National Council rejected the use of these funds for education and training by 96 to 92, whereas in the summer the Council of States gave its clear approval, and today the National Council followed the small chamber's lead by 98 to 90.
According to the press release, it is the private broadcasters that enable a significant proportion of young Swiss journalists to start their careers through costly training and further education and ensure the democratically important task of providing regional information. The decision of the National Council to support this request from the media industry is welcomed.
The Radio and Television Act as a whole has not yet been finalized. The National Council has decided to differ from the Council of States on the issue of opting out.
