Media budget 2014: One billion francs more within ten years
Switzerland as a whole spent CHF 10.4 billion on media in 2014. This includes expenditure on newspapers and magazines and their digital offerings, books, cinema, radio, television, electronic devices, IT and telecoms.
Compared to the previous year, the media budget fell by 1.1%. Sales of print subscriptions were almost stable in 2014. This was announced by the Swiss Media Association on Monday.
The press, books, cinema, radio, TV, consumer electronics and IT & telecom markets in Switzerland generated around CHF 13.6 billion in 2014. This is 0.9% less than in the previous year. A good three quarters of the money comes from media users, with the rest coming from advertising. The Swiss population and businesses spent around CHF 10.4 billion on media in 2014, 1.1% less than in the previous year. The ten-year comparison shows an overall increase in media expenditure. The growth driver of digitalization is shaping the electronic markets. Established media such as the press are maintaining their importance. Expenditure on the subscription press remained roughly the same.
Newspapers and magazines are being bought less and less at newsstands and are maintaining their reach thanks to digital growth. Half of print revenues still come from advertising. The rising revenue from radio/TV reception fees is approaching the declining total print revenue. TV revenue increased thanks to the switch-off of analog connections and bundled offers. Mobile Internet usage, which is already high, is increasing, while the reach of videos on video portals has also risen.
In a ten-year comparison, media expenditure rose by CHF 1.02 billion or 10.8%; inflation rose by 3.7% in the same period. The trend indicates a continuing willingness to spend on media in Switzerland. Spending on radio and television grew in all areas. In consumer electronics, software sales on physical media are still dominant. In the fast-growing IT & Telecom segment, spending on broadband connections, smartphones, tablets and apps replaced spending on PC hardware. Books increased their sales volume, while spending on cinema admissions remained almost constant.