On the long march to Bern
The planned advertising window of the French private broadcaster M6 is causing confusion not only in French-speaking Switzerland
The planned advertising window of the French private broadcaster M6 is causing confusion not only in French-speaking Switzerlandby Anita Vaucher The start date of the M6 advertising window remains uncertain. The Federal Office of Communications is waiting for the copy of the license from France, while the cable network operators have been negotiating with M6 for weeks. TSR Director General Gilles Marchand calls for a march to Bern over coffee and croissants.
For Gilles Marchand, Director of Télévision Suisse Romande (TSR), the planned advertising window of the French channel M6 is a red rag. He estimates the loss of advertising revenue for TSR at 10 to 12 million francs (WW 39/01). However, the spectre was not sighted on November 1, the second announced launch date. And according to the Federal Office of Communications (Bakom), no definitive date has yet been set for the launch of the advertising window. According to Bakom employee Bernhard Bürki, Bakom is still waiting for the paper that the French supervisory authority CSA has issued to broadcaster M6 authorizing it to operate the Swiss advertising window.
Bakom is very confused because, according to Bürki, repeated inquiries to the CSA about the whereabouts of the copy of the license have not yet borne any fruit. However, perhaps the delay is secretly being interpreted at Biel's Zukunftsstrasse as a sign that the CSA may have changed its mind after all, thus creating new room for negotiation.
It is all a question of interpretation, Bürki told WerbeWoche. The European convention on cross-border television broadcasts is under discussion.
In the meantime, there are rumors that at least some of the cable network operators may not show the advertising window at all - out of solidarity or obedience to the private TV stations affiliated with TSR. Although this rumor has not been confirmed anywhere, it is at least worth noting that M6 is still negotiating with the cable network operators.
However, there are certainly no technical problems, as M6 already has a technical coverage of 91% in French-speaking Switzerland. The negotiations are more likely to indicate that M6 has unexpectedly hit a snag with the network operators. As recently as September, it had announced the launch of
October 1 announced.
It is unclear what is being negotiated. Even cable network operators such as TéléGenève do not yet want to commit themselves as to whether they will switch on the M6 window. The Nyon cable network even claims never to have heard of the M6 advertising window. In any case, it is clear that an advertising window without coverage in French-speaking Swiss cities is not of interest to the advertising industry.
TSR Director Gilles Marchand invited guests to coffee and croissants
The marketing company IP Multimedia is therefore at a loss. Press spokeswoman Bettina Singeisen only hopes that the M6 advertising window can be launched "this year".
Meanwhile, TSR Director General Gilles Marchand and the Publisuisse office for French-speaking Switzerland invited guests for coffee and croissants. Representatives of advertising and media agencies in French-speaking Switzerland were literally worked over at breakfast in the TSR tower and asked to lobby in Bern against the M6 advertising window and to swear allegiance to TSR. This is unlikely to be easy, as advertisers and media planners in French-speaking Switzerland have recently complained publicly about the lack of alternatives to TSR.
According to Charly Schwarz, Director of Initiative Media Switzerland, the M6 window should not be overestimated. In Le Temps, he estimates the loss for TSR at a maximum of CHF 6 million. He believes that cinema advertising and youth-specific media would suffer more because M6 tends to target a young audience.
For Gilles Marchand, Director of Télévision Suisse Romande (TSR), the planned advertising window of the French channel M6 is a red rag. He estimates the loss of advertising revenue for TSR at 10 to 12 million francs (WW 39/01). However, the spectre was not sighted on November 1, the second announced launch date. And according to the Federal Office of Communications (Bakom), no definitive date has yet been set for the launch of the advertising window. According to Bakom employee Bernhard Bürki, Bakom is still waiting for the paper that the French supervisory authority CSA has issued to broadcaster M6 authorizing it to operate the Swiss advertising window.
Bakom is very confused because, according to Bürki, repeated inquiries to the CSA about the whereabouts of the copy of the license have not yet borne any fruit. However, perhaps the delay is secretly being interpreted at Biel's Zukunftsstrasse as a sign that the CSA may have changed its mind after all, thus creating new room for negotiation.
It is all a question of interpretation, Bürki told WerbeWoche. The European convention on cross-border television broadcasts is under discussion.
In the meantime, there are rumors that at least some of the cable network operators may not show the advertising window at all - out of solidarity or obedience to the private TV stations affiliated with TSR. Although this rumor has not been confirmed anywhere, it is at least worth noting that M6 is still negotiating with the cable network operators.
However, there are certainly no technical problems, as M6 already has a technical coverage of 91% in French-speaking Switzerland. The negotiations are more likely to indicate that M6 has unexpectedly hit a snag with the network operators. As recently as September, it had announced the launch of
October 1 announced.
It is unclear what is being negotiated. Even cable network operators such as TéléGenève do not yet want to commit themselves as to whether they will switch on the M6 window. The Nyon cable network even claims never to have heard of the M6 advertising window. In any case, it is clear that an advertising window without coverage in French-speaking Swiss cities is not of interest to the advertising industry.
TSR Director Gilles Marchand invited guests to coffee and croissants
The marketing company IP Multimedia is therefore at a loss. Press spokeswoman Bettina Singeisen only hopes that the M6 advertising window can be launched "this year".
Meanwhile, TSR Director General Gilles Marchand and the Publisuisse office for French-speaking Switzerland invited guests for coffee and croissants. Representatives of advertising and media agencies in French-speaking Switzerland were literally worked over at breakfast in the TSR tower and asked to lobby in Bern against the M6 advertising window and to swear allegiance to TSR. This is unlikely to be easy, as advertisers and media planners in French-speaking Switzerland have recently complained publicly about the lack of alternatives to TSR.
According to Charly Schwarz, Director of Initiative Media Switzerland, the M6 window should not be overestimated. In Le Temps, he estimates the loss for TSR at a maximum of CHF 6 million. He believes that cinema advertising and youth-specific media would suffer more because M6 tends to target a young audience.
