"We are not voting on the public service".
SRG President Raymond Loretan objects to the conflation of issues in the referendum campaign on the new Radio and Television Act. «We are not voting on public service broadcasting on June 14,» Loretan said in an interview with *Schweiz am Sonntag*.
The idea is to replace the old, bureaucratic fee system with a new system that is simpler, cheaper and fairer. The current device fee should be replaced by a household fee, as almost all households now have a receiver. Billag would then receive less money and the controls would be eliminated. "That is the basic idea behind the reform," said Loretan. The SRG President also emphasized that the financing system has nothing to do with the SRG's performance mandate: "Even under the new system, the public service can be redimensioned or fees can be reduced if desired." It also pains him that the SRG media are not allowed to defend themselves against "the sometimes absurd accusations" in the referendum campaign and must remain neutral, said Loretan. As a result, hardly anyone contradicted the untruths being spread in the referendum campaign. (SDA)
