Service-public media are indispensable, according to Emek
The Media Commission, appointed by the Federal Council, recommends that the SRG continue to be financed through license fees and advertising revenue. However, it calls for greater transparency regarding costs.
Service-public media are indispensable in the opinion of the Federal Media Commission (Emek) - just like the purely private ones. The need for public service media with offerings in the electronic sector clearly exists, writes the Emek in a discussion paper published on Friday.
Minority for advertising ban
The discussion was controversial on individual points, said Emek President Otfried Jarren in response to a question. One of the points of contention in the commission was whether the SRG should also be financed by advertising. The majority of the commission was in favor of the current system and against a ban on advertising.
According to Emek, an exclusively fee-financed and advertising-free public service would have the advantage that the public service content would be consistently aligned with the performance mandate. However, as a result, either the offering would have to be reduced or the fees would have to be increased.
The Emek does not want to hear about the proposal to make SRG a free content provider financed by fees. This idea was introduced into the discussion by the liberal think tank Avenir Suisse. However, Emek fears that such a model would reduce the amount of programming available. In addition, according to Emek, the plurality of information and opinion could suffer as a result.
More transparency
However, the Emek demands more transparency from the SRG. It should report regularly on the specific programming services and their costs. In addition, the SRG should define concrete programming goals for each language region. There should be no political influence, said Jarren. The SRG should decide alone, he said. "But it must continuously and systematically check whether it is also achieving its programming goals."
Emek proposes that an external audit body report publicly every five years on compliance with the program objectives. Even in the case of private media that receive money from the fee pot, the fulfillment of the program mandate must be ensured.
Controversial online advertising ban
The bone of contention remains the SRG's online advertising ban. A majority of Emek members were in favor of retaining the existing online advertising ban for SRG for the next three to five years. Advertising that appears within already distributed programs should also be made available online.
The Emek agrees that public service also includes online activities. "SRG should be able to develop online," said Jarren.
Sufficient money available
Even without online advertising, the Emek believes that SRG has enough money available today. The Emek can therefore imagine measures to limit the overall funding towards the top - also to protect the private sector. "SRG should consolidate and not pursue an expansion strategy," Jarren said.
With its discussion paper, the Emek intervenes in the debate about SRG, which flared up in the context of the vote on the new Radio and Television Act - and which the No Billag initiative submitted on Friday (Werbewoche.ch reported) is likely to heat up again.
The journalists' association Impressum said that the Emek discussion paper was a step in the right direction, but that the objective discussion must continue. Imprint President Christian Campiche warned against a "hasty restructuring" that could unnecessarily endanger the quality and diversity of journalism. (SDA)
