Even after the No to the No Billag initiative, SRG remains a political bone of contention
Politicians from several parties have proposed measures ranging from a drastic austerity program to safeguards and even a restructuring—such as allowing free access to SRG content.
Beat Vonlanthen (CVP/FR), member of the Council of States, is sufficient SonntagsZeitung a motion calling for a ban on advertising after 7:30 p.m. and on online advertising, as well as a cap on advertising revenues and SRG's withdrawal from the Admeira advertising alliance with Swisscom and Ringier. He also wants more fees for private individuals. According to the newspaper, the BDP is planning a proposal to reduce radio and TV fees from 365 to 320 francs.
A different approach is taken according to SonntagsBlick former Watson journalist Hansi Voigt, Graubünden SP councillor Jon Pult and entrepreneur Moritz Zumbühl. They want to create a new constitutional article by initiative that would take into account the general right to information and the online presence of SRG. The trio is demanding that SRG make its "technology and self-produced content available free of charge." "It is dishonest for the association of lobbyists and populists to continue sawing away at the SRG, slice by slice, after a rejection of No Billag," Voigt says of the SonntagsBlick.
National Councillor Fathi Derder (FDP/VD) also wants to Le Matin Dimanche make SRG a comprehensive public service enterprise with a motion. (SDA/hae)
