Private radio stations also want money
Splitting TV license fees is fueling further ambitions among radio broadcasters
TV fee splitting arouses additional covetousness among radio broadcastersBy Daniel Schifferle The millions in fees promised by the Federal Council do not only present local TV stations with a new situation. Private radio stations are already expressing their desire to have their own share of fees massively increased.
It is still unclear how many millions in fees will be available for the regional TV scene. And it is just as unclear how the money will be distributed among the ten to twelve concession areas to be eliminated. The tug-of-war over these crucial questions is only just beginning.
In response to the millions announced for TV, the Swiss Private Radio Association (VSP) has now also announced additional fee demands. Martin Muerner, Vice President of the VSP and responsible for fee splitting, is demanding "a massive improvement in the splitting contribution for private radio stations as compensation". This must "make up around half of the amount that television will receive". Compared to the approximately CHF 7 million that currently goes to private radio, this would mean a considerable increase. Muerner's arguments: "Television, private radio stations and publishers are so interconnected in Switzerland - the announced fee splitting would not only support TV, but an entire group in each case. So if two private radio stations broadcast in a city, one of which still has a TV station, the one without TV would also have to be compensated."
TeleNewsCombi continues integration course quickly
How will the millions in fees affect TeleNewsCombi (TNC)? Will the regional TV pool continue its integration course in the same targeted way as before or will the windfall take the pressure off to work together? For TNC Managing Director Christian Stärkle, one thing is clear: "We have to continue working in the same way as we started in 2001, we even have to speed up this process as much as possible so that we can quickly exploit the synergies." The aim is to quickly provide an optimal service for viewers, even without fee splitting.
Stärkle's concerns are well founded: "The more resources you have, the more likely you are to go it alone, as experience with local radio stations has shown. That's why taking a breather now would be out of place."
Stärkle is not yet really happy about the beer and wine advertising that the Federal Council is allowing local broadcasters. "That would only be really interesting if the market leader SRG could also advertise on the radio," he objects.
It is still unclear how many millions in fees will be available for the regional TV scene. And it is just as unclear how the money will be distributed among the ten to twelve concession areas to be eliminated. The tug-of-war over these crucial questions is only just beginning.
In response to the millions announced for TV, the Swiss Private Radio Association (VSP) has now also announced additional fee demands. Martin Muerner, Vice President of the VSP and responsible for fee splitting, is demanding "a massive improvement in the splitting contribution for private radio stations as compensation". This must "make up around half of the amount that television will receive". Compared to the approximately CHF 7 million that currently goes to private radio, this would mean a considerable increase. Muerner's arguments: "Television, private radio stations and publishers are so interconnected in Switzerland - the announced fee splitting would not only support TV, but an entire group in each case. So if two private radio stations broadcast in a city, one of which still has a TV station, the one without TV would also have to be compensated."
TeleNewsCombi continues integration course quickly
How will the millions in fees affect TeleNewsCombi (TNC)? Will the regional TV pool continue its integration course in the same targeted way as before or will the windfall take the pressure off to work together? For TNC Managing Director Christian Stärkle, one thing is clear: "We have to continue working in the same way as we started in 2001, we even have to speed up this process as much as possible so that we can quickly exploit the synergies." The aim is to quickly provide an optimal service for viewers, even without fee splitting.
Stärkle's concerns are well founded: "The more resources you have, the more likely you are to go it alone, as experience with local radio stations has shown. That's why taking a breather now would be out of place."
Stärkle is not yet really happy about the beer and wine advertising that the Federal Council is allowing local broadcasters. "That would only be really interesting if the market leader SRG could also advertise on the radio," he objects.
