"Without Roger de Weck, the No Billag initiative could have been prevented".

"Tettamanti is convinced that the No Billag initiative would be "massively rejected. The opponents' "scare strategy" - i.e. "No Billag, No Switzerland!" - was "nonsense," but it paid off, says the Lugano-based financier, whose fortune is estimated at a billion francs. For it has made an important debate about SRG's willingness to change impossible.

Tettamanti praises the initiators. Even if the initiative is full of mistakes, naive, utopian and forgets minorities. "It's good that young people have done something," he says. But the "courageous young people" underestimated SRG, he says - which is the "Swiss establishment," tied to bureaucracy, politicians, linked to unions and parts of the economy. It was, says Tettamanti, like epee fighters going after a tank battalion.

No No Billag Initiative Without Roger de Weck

The financier blames former Director General Roger de Weck for the No Billag initiative. He describes him as "arrogant" and "ideologized". "De Weck acted as if he represented the absolute truth". The discomfort with the initiators is not directed against the institution SRG, but against its leadership and bloatedness. Fortunately, says Tettamanti, he has now been replaced - "by a man who does not feel called upon to save Switzerland".

Mantle use is "not a disaster"

The 87-year-old does not see the concentration in the Swiss media landscape as a major problem. This is absolutely no threat to democracy, he says, adding that people in Switzerland are "somewhat hysterical" about this. 20 years ago, this danger was much greater; today, all citizens can participate in the debate via the Internet.

Editorial mantling, as applied by Tamedia or the NZZ, for example, is also "not a disaster": "The best article should be published." Media diversity must be protected, but thanks to digital means the situation has improved today, Tettamanti is convinced. "In democracy, it is crucial that everyone who has something to say can express themselves."

1000 francs for an NZZ subscription

Newspapers today have a different task than they used to. They are important for intellectual debate, for the world view. "There will always be people who want to read commentaries," says the financier. Today, the NZZ already has more pages of commentary than pure reporting - the question is much more whether there will still be enough talented journalists in the future.

In a few years, the NZZ might have fewer subscribers, but those who are willing to pay 1,000 francs a year and those who buy individual articles. Advertising can no longer finance a newspaper today.

Everyone only talks about Blocher

He had not earned much in the media business. Unlike many others, however, he and Christoph Blocher have not lost any money. Perhaps that's because he and the SVP strategist didn't inherit anything. Specifically, Tettamanti refers to the investment of wealthy heirs such as Gigi Oeri in the Tages-Woche, the Meili brothers in the Republic or the Brunner heirs in "left-wing newspapers in Zug and other portals. He welcomes these investments in the media, but he doesn't understand why people always talk about Christoph Blocher.

"Tamedia and Ringier are already no longer publishing houses".

When asked about the future of the publishing houses, Tettamanti does not commit himself. The best would survive - although Tamedia and Ringier are already no longer publishers and earn their money in the digital world with activities such as ticket sales or real estate platforms. "With NZZ, we'll see." But in the future, he said, there will still be a need for local news, so people can find out what's happening in their own neighborhood. "For example, who has died." (hae)