Leuenberger: Radio and TV must remain journalistically independent

Media Minister Moritz Leuenberger is calling on the SRG to abandon the plan for a joint radio and TV director. "I am against a joint journalistic directorate for radio and television. The quality of both media must not be allowed to deteriorate," he said in an interview with Sonntagsblick. TV and radio should be in competition with each other and journalistic diversity should not be jeopardized. "But I am in favor of better coordination in the buildings or in the technical area," Leuenberger continued. This could save money.
While he rejects the Walpen plan for a joint radio and TV director, the media minister can imagine helping SRG to generate new revenue. The group is currently prohibited from advertising on its online offering. When asked in the Sonntagsblick interview whether the advertising ban should remain in place, Leuenberger said: "Nothing stays forever. I can imagine that SRG will one day be given permission to place advertisements."