SRG's foreign offering reorganized
The Federal Council has signed a new four-year service agreement with the SRG regarding information services for Swiss citizens abroad. The SRG is tasked with keeping Swiss citizens abroad informed about current events in Switzerland.
The new service agreement is valid for the period from 2017 to 2020. The main component is the internet platform Swissinfo.ch with its texts, image, audio and video contributions in German, French, Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and Russian. With voting and election dossiers, swissinfo.ch continues to enable the Swiss abroad to exercise their political rights in Switzerland.
With the Italian-language Internet platform Tvsvizzera.it, SRG is targeting the southern border region and cross-border commuters, but also all Italian speakers. SRG will also continue its existing cooperation with the international television channels TV5 (French) and 3sat (German). With this cooperation, television programs with a Swiss connection can be broadcast in over 210 countries.
The Radio and Television Act requires the Federal Council and the SRG to regulate this offering and its financing in periodic contracts. At least half of the costs are borne by the federal government. Compared to the current period (2013 to 2016), federal contributions will be around CHF 1.6 million lower over the next four years.
The new performance agreement also formulates qualitative and quantitative targets for the individual offerings. In addition, SRG will be required to report comprehensively each year on its Internet platforms and its cooperation with TV5 and 3sat.
