We have become so numb to images from war zones that we no longer realize how incredible the whole tragedy is. Havas shows: People think a clown in ruins is out of place - even though the only thing out of place far and wide is the city destroyed by human hands. In which children have to grow up. Simple, but effective. (hae)

 
René Worni on broadcasting slots for politics 
 
There is no tradition of political parties advertising on television or radio in Switzerland, and certainly not before elections. Until now, the public has been spared commercials for party political causes, programs for legislative periods or the promotion of top candidates. The new radio and TV law does not intend to change this either: it is hard to imagine election advertising on television, and even less so on the intimate medium of radio. What would an advertisement for the Greens or the SVP look like? I'm sure resourceful commercial producers would immediately come up with some brilliant ideas. National Councillor Maja Graf (Greens BL) shaking hands with SVP parliamentary colleague and farmers' association president Hansjörg Walther in front of the Syngenta main entrance? Well, yes. Speaking of the SVP: they have already shown the way with their film contributions (with scenes of beatings); the Basel section went even further, using a filmed (real) murder from YouTube and placing it in the correct party-political context - an unparalleled scandal. However, all of this only took place on the internet and did not reach the living rooms of potential voters and their children via the screen.
However, this could change one day, provided that parliament approves an amendment to the law that Andreas Gross (SP, Zurich) wants to propose to parliament (see page 17): Before federal elections, parties should be given equal and free airtime for their advertising messages on SRG stations as well as on licensed private stations with a broadcasting mandate. For the time being, there is talk of 30 seconds per contribution. This would be great business for the producers of the party commercials. The broadcasters, on the other hand, would lose a few advertising francs. On SF 1, for example, 30 advertising seconds cost an average of 5700 francs, which is deceptive, as the price can easily soar to over 38,000 francs in the evening, between the Tagesschau and Meteo. According to SDA calculations, 3089 candidates are currently standing for election to the National Council and Council of States - you do the math. The example is somewhat absurd, admittedly, but it gives an idea of the dimensions. Without a state media supervisory apparatus - even more absurd - this would hardly be possible.
René Worni, Editor