Media union and SRG criticize deletion of Swissinfo

Losing the federal subsidy of just under 19 million francs would effectively spell the end of the ten-language platform Swissinfo.ch, the SSM wrote in a press release on Friday.

In addition to Swissinfo, SRG's international programming includes the Italian-language website tvsvizzera.it as well as collaborations with the television networks TV5 Monde and 3sat. It is funded equally by the federal government and SRG.

According to the SSM, 100 permanent employees and more than a hundred freelancers will be laid off as a result of the cut in funding for Swissinfo. This would mean another serious blow for Switzerland as a media center and a further loss of media diversity. The SSM will therefore express its opposition in the upcoming consultation process.

The SRG itself confirmed in a statement that without federal funding, it would be unable to maintain its international programming. This would have serious consequences and pose a significant disadvantage both for Swiss citizens living abroad and for Switzerland’s presence abroad. Switzerland would thus severely limit its ability to explain its decisions abroad, as well as to provide a platform for its artists and cultural productions abroad.

Like the SSM union, the SRG also pointed out that Swissinfo serves as an important link between Swiss citizens living abroad and their home country.

The Swissinfo platform was originally created as the successor to Swiss Radio International. It had already undergone a major restructuring by the end of 2011. At that time, the SRG had announced that it would cut approximately 40 of 126 positions by the end of 2012. The budget of 26 million had been cut by a third. The Federal Council subsequently extended the platform’s mandate for international operations on a regular basis. (SDA)