Train plans from Bern to Zurich: politicians blow the whistle on SRG

SRG's plans to centralize its radio studios in Zurich have met with some fierce resistance in recent months. The focus on Zurich and the associated weakening of Bern as a media location has caused anger in many places. The dispute even led to an internal escalation: in September, the Bern Fribourg Valais Cooperative, which categorically rejects the relocation plans, not only considered leaving the SRG, but also launching a rival SRG program (Werbewoche.ch reported). The protests did not fall on the ears of the SRG Board of Directors - it decided that the cost-cutting measures were unavoidable in order to achieve the savings demanded by politicians (Werbewoche.ch reported).

As soon as the plans became known, politicians from various parties submitted a parliamentary initiative. The demand: SRG must spread its locations across the whole of Switzerland.

Since the SRG did not wait for the outcome of the initiative and has in the meantime decided on the plans for the move, or rather specified them, there is now political resistance. How the SonntagsZeitung in its current issue, the party presidents of the SP, CVP, Greens, BDP, SVP and CVP have sent a letter to the SRG calling for the relocation plans to be suspended immediately. According to the letter, centralization is an "affront to federalist Switzerland, the licence fee payers and the regions". The senders are displeased that the SRG is already investing countless working hours in the implementation of the move, thereby taking resources away from the program, even though the outcome of the initiative is pending.

SRG, on the other hand, is once again unimpressed by attempts to dissuade it from moving to Zurich. Spokesperson Edi Estermann says that - regardless of the outcome of the initiative - the implementation of the reform projects must be prepared professionally. They will await the decisions of parliament before implementing the specific projects.

Estermann emphasizes to the SonntagsZeitungwhy the unpopular measures were being taken: the aim was to comply with the savings plan imposed by the federal government without damaging the program too much or having to cut staff.

In other words: You wanted cost-cutting measures, now you're getting them. The move will save SRG CHF 5 million a year in real estate costs. Other cost-cutting measures led, for example, to the shutdown of the DVB-T network (Werbewoche.ch reported)which, among other things, in neighboring countries for great regret was the reason. However, the general public is also feeling the effects of SRG's austerity measures: for the first time in its history, SRF is no longer showing the Champions League final live - the full rights have already been lost to pay-TV broadcasters. In the bidding for the rights - in this case with Teleclub - SRF is not prepared to move into new spheres.

The chances of the parliamentary vote being in favor of the initiative are said to be good. The two preliminary committees have spoken out against it. However, for Beat Vonlanthen, the author of the initiative and CVP member of the Council of States, it is clear why: the SRG lobbied aggressively in the run-up to the hearing and took part in the hearing practically in its entirety. While he was only given ten minutes to speak, the SRG leadership and its PR consultant were given almost one and a half hours.