Too few reports on Latin Switzerland
In 2014, Publicom conducted a study of SRG radio programs in German-speaking Switzerland on behalf of Bakom. The study shows that while these programs provide balanced and diverse coverage, they do not contribute enough to fostering exchange between the language regions.
SRF radio stations offer a wide range of thematically diverse information. However, they interpret the program mandate differently. Their contribution to the promotion of cultural identity is rated higher than their contribution to exchange between the language regions.
High quality, thematic diversity and balance
Information is one of Radio SRF's core competencies. This is not only reflected in the fact that one of the programs (SRF 4 News) broadcasts almost exclusively information and that other SRF programs (SRF 1, SRF 2 Kultur) give very high priority to information. It is also evident that a great deal of effort is generally put into the formal preparation of this information. The more eloquent programs in particular make an effort to put facts into context and shed light on the background. They also rely on sophisticated journalistic forms, correspondent reports, expert interviews or on-site reports. However, there are differences: SRF 3 and SRF Virus increasingly concentrate information on simple news bulletins that primarily convey facts.
Small contribution to national cohesion
The concession obliges SRG to increase knowledge about the other parts of the country. This is only the case to a very limited extent. The SRF program makers devote by far the most attention to events abroad. National events also receive a great deal of attention. However, with the exception of SRF 4 News and SRF Musikwelle, there is hardly any information on events in French-speaking Switzerland or Ticino in the SRF programs.
Italian-speaking Switzerland in particular is virtually absent from the reality of SRF programs. With the exception of SRF 4 News, the corresponding shares are less than one percent. Systematically, only SRF 4 News, which has introduced a separate broadcasting vehicle for this purpose, actually covers the other language regions. Since 2012, the attention paid to the other language regions has even decreased slightly. The integration concept announced by SRG in 2012 is not (yet) taking effect in the SRF radio sector.
Broadly represented Swiss music
SRF radio programmes strengthen cultural identity on the one hand by focusing on Swiss culture, but above all through music by providing opportunities to present local music. This is the case in all programs that contain music - albeit to varying degrees. However, it is clear that the inclusion of Swiss music is based on a strategy, especially as the proportion of Swiss music is usually significantly higher than in private commercial programs.
The highest proportion of Swiss music is found in the daily program on SRF Musikwelle, which pays particular attention to Swiss folk music. But SRF Virus also offers Swiss musicians an attractive platform: every third track played is of Swiss origin. It is also striking that the proportion of Swiss music in all programs after 8 p.m. increases significantly.
Overall, it can be said that SRF radio stations have a high, albeit inconsistent, level of performance in the area of cultural identity and probably meet the media policy objectives better than in terms of integration services.
