General Meeting of the Swiss Press: Publishers fight price increase by Swiss Post
On Thursday, the annual general meeting of the Swiss Press Association took place in Interlaken. At the meeting, Filippo Lombardi—CEO of TImedia Holding SA—and Albert P. Stäheli—CEO of the NZZ Group—were newly elected to the association’s executive committee. Among the agenda items, the ongoing revision of the Postal Act to secure more favorable rates for press distribution is currently the main focus. And at the annual conference, Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer spoke about quality assurance and the media’s role in providing information, fostering discussion, and exercising oversight.
The annual general meeting of the Swiss Press took place in Interlaken on Thursday. Filippo Lombardi - CEO of TImedia Holding SA - and Albert P. Stäheli - CEO of the NZZ Group - were newly elected to the Executive Committee of the Publishers Association. The Executive Committee was thus expanded by one seat. President Hanspeter Lebrument and the other members of the Executive Committee were confirmed for a further term of office.
The Executive Committee and members expressed their thanks to Beat Lauber, who is stepping down, for his great commitment to the Publishers Association. At today's general meeting, the previous managing director, Hanspeter Kellermüller, was also officially thanked and bid farewell after around six years of service to the association. He will be succeeded at the end of September by Urs F. Meyer, who was welcomed by the members.
The association management presented its members with a large number of ongoing campaigns and projects and also showed itself to be in a solid financial position, according to an SP press release on Thursday. The current economic crisis is also having an impact on the association's activities. Nevertheless, a positive result is expected for the current year.
The development of postal tariffs for press delivery is currently at the center of the agenda. According to the press release, Swiss Post recently announced significant price increases, against which it will intervene with the relevant authorities. The Publishers Association will also campaign for more favorable rates for press distribution in the current revision of the Postal Act, as the distribution of press titles ensures the basic supply of Swiss Post through its capacity utilization. Due to the lack of competition, however, publishers are confronted with excessive prices. Politicians are called upon to set a maximum price of 10 centimes per copy by law.
In addition, local press with small circulations should be able to benefit from special discounts as before. The association is advocating an extension of the existing indirect press subsidies. The federal contribution to Swiss Post should be increased to CHF 30 million. This would make an important contribution to the press, which is important in terms of state policy, without jeopardizing its independence, the association concludes.
At the annual conference of the Scheizer Presse association, Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer said that the media do not perform their role of information, discussion and control enough. He said that there was a lack of diversity in terms of content and a competition of ideas. In addition, the media also suppressed information and thus undermined the democratic formation of opinion. In reporting, evaluations are interspersed - subliminally and hidden. The media tended to merge political commentary, entertainment, satire and information. This crosses the line into dishonesty. Instead of confronting hypocrisy with the truth, the media behave like courtesans. They move in the environment of power - sometimes pandering to this, sometimes pandering to that, always pleasing the emperor. The media pretend to wear the costumes of professionalism, objectivity and neutrality, but in reality they go as naked as the emperor.
To counter these evils, Maurer advocates diversity of content. This is something different from mere title diversity. In this diversity, even partisan media are not a disadvantage, but a gain in clarity. It stimulates the competition of ideas. And finally, persistent, defiant control of the state brings more to the citizens than courtesan whispers.
"We need to think about how we can improve the quality of the media and strengthen competition," said Maurer. We need something like an anti-trust law against information monopolists and media opinion cartels. We should also consider whether the Competition Commission should not be tasked with protecting the free market as well as the free market for ideas.
The Executive Committee and members expressed their thanks to Beat Lauber, who is stepping down, for his great commitment to the Publishers Association. At today's general meeting, the previous managing director, Hanspeter Kellermüller, was also officially thanked and bid farewell after around six years of service to the association. He will be succeeded at the end of September by Urs F. Meyer, who was welcomed by the members.
The association management presented its members with a large number of ongoing campaigns and projects and also showed itself to be in a solid financial position, according to an SP press release on Thursday. The current economic crisis is also having an impact on the association's activities. Nevertheless, a positive result is expected for the current year.
The development of postal tariffs for press delivery is currently at the center of the agenda. According to the press release, Swiss Post recently announced significant price increases, against which it will intervene with the relevant authorities. The Publishers Association will also campaign for more favorable rates for press distribution in the current revision of the Postal Act, as the distribution of press titles ensures the basic supply of Swiss Post through its capacity utilization. Due to the lack of competition, however, publishers are confronted with excessive prices. Politicians are called upon to set a maximum price of 10 centimes per copy by law.
In addition, local press with small circulations should be able to benefit from special discounts as before. The association is advocating an extension of the existing indirect press subsidies. The federal contribution to Swiss Post should be increased to CHF 30 million. This would make an important contribution to the press, which is important in terms of state policy, without jeopardizing its independence, the association concludes.
At the annual conference of the Scheizer Presse association, Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer said that the media do not perform their role of information, discussion and control enough. He said that there was a lack of diversity in terms of content and a competition of ideas. In addition, the media also suppressed information and thus undermined the democratic formation of opinion. In reporting, evaluations are interspersed - subliminally and hidden. The media tended to merge political commentary, entertainment, satire and information. This crosses the line into dishonesty. Instead of confronting hypocrisy with the truth, the media behave like courtesans. They move in the environment of power - sometimes pandering to this, sometimes pandering to that, always pleasing the emperor. The media pretend to wear the costumes of professionalism, objectivity and neutrality, but in reality they go as naked as the emperor.
To counter these evils, Maurer advocates diversity of content. This is something different from mere title diversity. In this diversity, even partisan media are not a disadvantage, but a gain in clarity. It stimulates the competition of ideas. And finally, persistent, defiant control of the state brings more to the citizens than courtesan whispers.
"We need to think about how we can improve the quality of the media and strengthen competition," said Maurer. We need something like an anti-trust law against information monopolists and media opinion cartels. We should also consider whether the Competition Commission should not be tasked with protecting the free market as well as the free market for ideas.
