SP rejects No-Billag
The SP recommends a No to the No Billag initiative. The initiative would endanger the independent and diverse radio and television offerings that are indispensable for democracy.
If the initiative is accepted, not only SRG would have to cease operations, but 35 regional radio and TV stations would also be threatened with extinction, the SP announced on Friday. This "media clear-cut" must be prevented, otherwise "Italian or American conditions with politically controlled influence on the formation of public opinion" threaten.
There can be no democracy without a free, independent and diverse media, writes the SP, whose executive committee adopted the slogan unanimously. It is no coincidence that "autocrats and putschists are always the first to take control of the media or restrict their freedom," National Councilor Jacqueline Badran is quoted as saying.
For the regional TV stations and radios, which can broadcast today also thanks to license fees, cost-covering operation without license fees is "simply not financially viable. The party also sees regional diversity at risk, which will be particularly bitter for peripheral regions.
The official SP slogan was adopted by the Executive Committee because the next delegates' meeting of the Social Democrats will not take place until February 24, 2018. The No Billag initiative, which calls for the abolition of fees for SRG, will be put to the vote on March 4, 2018. (SDA)
