Bakom tender for local and regional TV licenses

38 local radio and regional television licenses will be put out to tender by the end of April 2023. Whoever wins the bid will fulfill a regional public service mandate from January 1, 2025, and receive money from the radio and television levy in return. The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) is conducting the procedure and published the tender documents on January 30, 2023.

On September 16, 2022, the Federal Council defined the coverage areas for the regional public service. The circles concerned were able to comment beforehand in a consultation process.

The current coverage areas for licensed local radio stations with a performance mandate and fee share in mountain and peripheral regions will remain largely unchanged. The areas in the Arc jurassien, Bernese Jura and Biel/Bienne regions will be restructured. The previous service areas of Arc jurassien and Biel/Bienne will be restructured: The cantons of Neuchâtel and Jura are now each independent service areas. In the Biel/Bienne - Bernese Jura area, a French-language program will be licensed in the future, and a German-language program in the Biel/Bienne - Seeland area. Central Switzerland will now have a coverage area for a mountain radio station with a fee component. The current nine coverage areas for complementary non-profit local radio stations will be retained. They will be spatially adapted only minimally. A tenth area will be added in Lugano.

Licenses are being tendered for 15 commercial local radio stations, 10 complementary non-profit local radio stations and 13 regional television stations with a performance mandate and fee share. These 38 broadcaster licenses will be awarded in a competition based on criteria. The Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) will put them into effect for 10 years at the beginning of 2025. The existing licenses expire at the end of 2024.

Binding performance mandate

The broadcaster licenses for local radio stations and regional television include a binding performance mandate. In return, the broadcasters receive the right to broadcast their programs in their coverage area via DAB+ (radio) or via wires (television). In addition, they receive a share from the radio and television levy. A total of around CHF 86 million is expected to be available in 2025.

All other broadcasters who broadcast programs in Switzerland without a performance mandate are only required to register with Bakom before they begin their activities.

Interested parties will submit their applications via DETEC's eGovernment portal from mid-March 2023 until April 30, 2023 at the latest. Bakom will then publish the dossiers on its website and conduct a hearing with interested parties.

Based on the application documents and the comments received during the hearing, DETEC is expected to award the licenses in the fourth quarter of 2023. Appeals against the decisions can be lodged with the Federal Administrative Court. The new licenses will come into force on January 1, 2025 and will be valid for ten years.