Thanks to the BaZ deal, Tamedia now also benefits from Billag fees
Through the Basler Zeitung, Tamedia has also acquired a 20 percent stake in PresseTV. Among other things, this gives it access to the license fee fund.
"Like a virgin to the child" Tamedia has come to broadcasts on Swiss television, writes SonntagsBlick in the current issue. The Zurich media company has recently become a co-owner of PresseTV (PTV). The cooperation between SRG and private publishing houses has been running since 1995. Among others, NZZ, Ringier Axel Springer, BaZ and Somedia participate in the cooperation today, the current contracts run until the end of 2018. Tamedia declined a participation at the launch.
The Basler Zeitung produces the two PressTV programs "Gesundheit heute" and "BaZ Standpunkte. The media group Tamedia, which has brought one of the biggest SRG competitors in-house through Goldbach, the marketer of the Swiss advertising windows of the German private stations, can benefit from SRF in the future: Not only through the infrastructure and its large technical distribution, but also through fee money, which covers the PTV broadcasts.
10,000 francs per shipment
SRG currently pays CHF 3.7 million per year towards the production costs of PTV broadcasts. This sum is divided among all shareholders based on performance. For example, each "BaZ Standpunkte" broadcast is compensated with 10,000 francs per episode, SonntagsBlick calculates. Money that will flow into Tamedia's pockets in the future.
The reactions to the new constellation are not yet very concrete. Tamedia publisher Pietro Supino has yet to analyze the situation, while Christoph Zimmer, still head of communications, says they want to wait for the green light from the Weko before getting a picture of the various parts of the company. For the time being, however, no changes are planned for the broadcasts.
Bakom - which is responsible for SRG's cooperation agreements - also wants to review the new situation. And PTV board member Hanspeter Kellermüller, who represents the NZZ, says the further procedure must be discussed with the shareholders. There are ideas for a further expansion of PresseTV. (hae)
