Liechtenstein media under pressure - parties respond with proposals
The media in the Principality of Liechtenstein have also come under pressure. As a cost-cutting measure, one newspaper reacted by cancelling one edition per week. On Monday, two political parties submitted proposals to the government regarding the media situation.
Subscribers to the oldest daily newspaper in the Principality, the Liechtensteiner VolksblattSince the beginning of February, the newspapers have been delivered only five issues per week instead of six. This measure is intended to save on rising printing and distribution costs without, however, compromising on journalistic performance. This was announced by the publisher, Liechtensteiner Volksblatt AG. The print edition was discontinued on Tuesday.
The journalistic services that will no longer be brought to the people with the printed newspaper on Tuesday can be found on the electronic news portal of the media company. The board of directors and management are convinced that "this long-term structural improvement" will ensure the continued existence of the traditional newspaper, which celebrates its 140th anniversary this year.
Parties react
The cancellation of the Tuesday edition of the Volksblatt with a simultaneous increase in the subscription price has made broad circles aware of the difficulties of the media in Liechtenstein. On Monday, two of the four parties represented in parliament reacted.
The Progressive Citizens' Party (FBP) submitted an interpellation on the development of the media location. The media site has been on the move for several years, it wrote. Mentioned besides the cancellation of an issue at the Liechtensteiner Volksblatt Staff reductions at Vaduzer Medienhaus AG, the publisher of the daily newspaper Liechtensteiner Vaterland, as well as high necessary investments at Radio Liechtenstein.
The Liechtenstein media center is on the move, and not to the benefit of opinion-forming and democracy, wrote the party of head of government Adrian Hasler.
Referendum on the media landscape
The opposition party Free List (FL) submitted a postulate on Monday calling on the government to review the effectiveness of media funding in terms of media and opinion diversity. Specifically, it is to be reviewed how the "diversity of media and opinion as well as the independence, neutrality, objectivity and quality of media companies could be improved".
In addition, the government is encouraged to conduct "at least one representative public survey. This should provide information about the media users' financing ideas, quality expectations, consumption habits and ideas for further development.
Two daily newspapers and one radio
Liechtenstein citizens mainly inform themselves about current events in the country via the two daily newspapers, which are party newspapers. Radio Liechtenstein also plays an important role.
The newspapers receive state support through the legally regulated media subsidy. According to the Free List, CHF 1.7 million of a total of CHF 1.8 million was paid out to the two daily newspapers last year. Radio Liechtenstein receives a national contribution of well over one million francs per year. In contrast, the private television channel 1#FL#TV receives significantly less funding. (SDA)
