Federal Council on SRG Internet presence: "Confederation must grant SRG leeway".
Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann opposes restricting the SRG’s online activities. In doing so, the Federal Council has rejected the demands of newspaper publishers, who had called for the SRG to drastically scale back its online presence, arguing that its license-fee funding leads to a distortion of competition.
At the opening of the first Swiss Media Forum at the KKL Lucerne, Schneider-Amman said that the federal government must give the SRG the room for maneuver it needs in order to stand up to international competition and provide the public service. He argued that media companies in Switzerland must increasingly face up to foreign competition, according to a Swiss Media Forum press release. It is true that foreign programs have had a market share of around 60 percent in the television market for some time now. The presence of foreign media groups has been accentuated by the Internet in particular, said the Minister for Economic Affairs. This change could not be stopped. It would be an illusion to believe that previous market definitions could be defined quasi-politically.
Foreign broadcasters have a strong presence on the Internet. Schneider-Ammann went on to say that if SRG's competitors combine their programs with an Internet presence, SRG must also be able to do so. However, this development should not take place in an uncontrolled manner. The Federal Council is well aware that the SRG's fee-financed online offerings compete with private media companies. There is a risk of market distortion. Media change must be sustainable and the print media must also be able to adapt to it.
The Federal Councillor also commented on the quality debate. And he gave the Swiss media a good report card, unlike Ueli Maurer at the Publishers' Congress, for example. The media should honestly assume their responsibility as the fourth power in the state, said Schneider-Amman.
The debate about SRG's internet strategy will continue at the Swiss Media Forum. Speakers on Friday will include SRG Director General Roger de Weck, the CEOs of the four private media companies, Christian Unger (Ringier), Martin Kall (Tamedia), Albert P. Stäheli (NZZ Group) and Christoph Bauer (AZ Medien), according to a Swiss Media Forum press release.
