SR DRS makes a loss of 2.1 million in 2009
Swiss Radio DRS posted a loss of 2.1 million francs in 2009. Swiss Television, on the other hand, is in the black with a profit of 6.2 million francs. This information is taken from the annual report of SRG Deutschschweiz.
According to SDA, Schweizer Fernsehen had still made a loss of CHF 3.8 million in the previous year. The number of full-time positions at Schweizer Fernsehen increased by 26 to 971 in 2009. Swiss Radio DRS, on the other hand, is in the red for the third year in a row. In 2008, the loss amounted to CHF 5.3 million. The number of staff increased by 2.2 full-time positions to 717.5.
Number of complaints constant
The ombudsman for radio and television, Achille Casanova, received 138 complaints in 2009 - almost as many as in the previous year. The ombudsman was able to deal with 105 on a substantive basis. 87 concerned Swiss television, 18 radio. "There was a significant increase in cases in which religious or ethical feelings were offended," Casanova notes in the annual report. It is noticeable that the polarization of Swiss politics is also reflected in the content of several complaints. For example, in broadcasts about the minaret initiative or "generally in relation to the SVP". 18 percent of the complaints were considered more or less justified by the ombudsman's office. It was not uncommon for journalistic errors to be identified even when complaints were rejected. However, these were not relevant enough to identify a breach of the program regulations.
Convergence project was a talking point
The convergence project, in which radio and television are to merge, was also a talking point in 2009. A final decision on the planned merger is to be made in June 2010. With the "Convergence and Efficiency" project, radio, television and online are to work together more closely in all language regions under one management. After Romansh-speaking Switzerland in 2006, Italian-speaking Switzerland since 2008 and French-speaking Switzerland from 2010, German-speaking Switzerland will implement media convergence from 2011.
Number of complaints constant
The ombudsman for radio and television, Achille Casanova, received 138 complaints in 2009 - almost as many as in the previous year. The ombudsman was able to deal with 105 on a substantive basis. 87 concerned Swiss television, 18 radio. "There was a significant increase in cases in which religious or ethical feelings were offended," Casanova notes in the annual report. It is noticeable that the polarization of Swiss politics is also reflected in the content of several complaints. For example, in broadcasts about the minaret initiative or "generally in relation to the SVP". 18 percent of the complaints were considered more or less justified by the ombudsman's office. It was not uncommon for journalistic errors to be identified even when complaints were rejected. However, these were not relevant enough to identify a breach of the program regulations.
Convergence project was a talking point
The convergence project, in which radio and television are to merge, was also a talking point in 2009. A final decision on the planned merger is to be made in June 2010. With the "Convergence and Efficiency" project, radio, television and online are to work together more closely in all language regions under one management. After Romansh-speaking Switzerland in 2006, Italian-speaking Switzerland since 2008 and French-speaking Switzerland from 2010, German-speaking Switzerland will implement media convergence from 2011.
