51 applications for 38 local radio and regional TV licenses

51 broadcasters are competing for the 38 licenses for local radio and regional television. As the Federal Office of Communications Bakom announced on Monday, there is competition in eleven areas. Bakom is conducting hearings with the cantons for these licenses.

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It also invites the competing applicants to submit their comments. According to a Bakom list, the competitive situations arise in the case of licenses for the operation of a commercial local radio station in the areas of Bernese Oberland and Southeast Switzerland-Glarus. There, new providers are challenging the existing ones in the market.

In regional television, new offerings want to take the concessions from the local heroes in the Waadt-Freiburg distribution areas, Bern, Biel, Zurich-Northern Switzerland and Eastern Switzerland from the competition. There is also competition from complementary, non-profit local radio stations.

Bakom put the licenses out to tender at the end of January. There are 20 coverage areas for commercial private radio stations, ten for non-profit local radio stations and 13 for regional TV stations. There is to be at least one license in each area.

The Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) is expected to grant the licenses until the end of 2023. The licensed broadcasters will fulfill a regional public service mandate on January 1, 2025, and will receive a share from radio and television taxes in return. According to the performance mandate, they must provide the audience with regional information throughout the country. (SDA)

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