Aargau government considers support for print media
The Aargau Cantonal Government can envision providing temporary support to newspaper publishers as they navigate their difficult transformation process. In any case, future media offerings by the SRG should not put private media companies at a competitive disadvantage.
It is regrettable that the Federal Council has not decided to draft a general, comprehensive media law. This is what the Government Council writes in its statement on the draft for a new federal law on electronic media. The law restricts the term "public service" to electronic media, i.e. radio and television, as well as online media. Unfortunately, the Federal Council is not taking up the discussion on the "public service" debate initiated in connection with the No Billag vote.
In the new Federal Act on Electronic Media, the requirements for SRG's future media offering should in any case be designed and specified in such a way that no competitive disadvantage arises for the private media.
Do not jeopardize diversity of supply
In the view of the cantonal government, it must be avoided that the diversity of cantonal, regional and local reporting in the canton is impaired. The corresponding concerns of the newspaper publishers and media companies in Aargau are being taken seriously. It is important that the media companies that provide a public service in Aargau "are not weakened by market-influencing interventions". The media in Aargau should continue to be able to "perform their important functions for democracy and coexistence in the canton".
According to the Government Council, it can imagine supporting newspaper publishers in their difficult transformation process for a limited period of time. In addition to reducing distribution costs, the government council also mentions the possibility of indirect press subsidies. These measures could be financed from the SRG household levy.
Media companies under stress
According to the Government Council, private media companies are "existentially challenged" by technological developments and the associated changes in user behavior. Traditional business models no longer work. However, the new online offerings of the private media would have to generate the necessary financial means and resources from the user and advertising market, while the SRG could use money from the household levy. In the view of the cantonal government, the SRG and private media companies operating in the canton provide an important public service. As such, they make "an indispensable contribution to the functioning of direct democracy and democratic processes". (SDA)
