More money from the fee pot to compensate for SRG's declining advertising revenues
The center-left parties are calling for more funding for the SRG because the Swiss Radio and Television Corporation's advertising revenue is declining.
In 2019 alone, these fell by CHF 30 million to around CHF 220 million, SRG spokesperson Edi Estermann told the NZZ on Sunday. However, the definitive figures will not be available for a few weeks. Just ten years ago, SRG was earning CHF 100 million more per year from advertising.
SRG responded to this development with cost-cutting measures, reducing 200 full-time positions by 2022 and focusing primarily on real estate, distribution and technology. For example, editorial offices are being merged, which has repeatedly caused criticism and outrage - most recently at the decided to move of the 70 news journalists from Berne to Zurich (Werbewoche.ch reported).
Various politicians from the CVP, SP, Greens and the responsible parliamentary committee have now had enough of the cost-cutting exercises. They are calling for SRG to receive more money from the revenue from the household fee to compensate for this. In 2017, the Federal Council under the leadership of then Media Minister Doris Leuthard stipulated that the SRG should not receive more than CHF 1.2 billion per year from the levy.
SRG to receive 1.5 billion
SP National Councillor Matthias Aebischer now says that the levy ceiling could be raised to 1.5 billion. CVP National Councillor Martin Candinas is also calling for an increase. Green National Councillor Michael Töngi, President of the Telecommunications Commission, believes that an increase should be considered. The SRG is very important for media diversity and the public service. Politicians who are calling for more money for the SRG point out that more money than expected was already collected with the household levy in 2019.
The Federal Office of Communications does not want to say anything about this yet. In 2017, the Federal Council decided that any surplus money would have to lead to a reduction in the levy, which currently stands at CHF 365 per year.
The FDP and SVP believe that this decision should be upheld. The SRG should set priorities and make further savings. (hae/SDA)
