SRF to cut around 70 full-time positions by the beginning of 2025

In the short term, "SRF 4.0" aims to cut jobs in order to ensure a balanced budget from 2025 onwards. Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) went on to say that the move was not connected to the supra-regional cost-cutting measures within SRG that would become necessary as a result of the political processes.

This was triggered by a further decline in commercial revenues and inflation: "The partial discontinuation of the inflation adjustment as early as next year and the reduction in fees from 2027 will further reduce our financial framework," said Director Nathalie Wappler in the press release. At the same time, SRF will have to adapt to changes in media usage.

Eliminate duplication

Savings are planned within both the audio/digital and video editorial departments. The aim of the adjustments is to exploit synergies between audio, video and digital. A slight reduction in management and assistant positions is also planned.

Following the division of Production and Technology into two independent departments, SRF is also aiming to achieve efficiency gains in processes in both organizational units. This will lead to a reduction in individual positions - including at management level.

Further savings within the Production department could be achieved by reducing orders for third parties and more efficient studio planning. The relocation of further broadcasts to the News and Sports Center (NSC) is also planned.

In addition, a few jobs will be cut across the company in order to eliminate duplication in the organization. In addition, individual formats will be discontinued at low-usage times in the summer, at weekends and outside primetime. There will also be job cuts in the Distribution, Sport and Entertainment departments.

There will also be changes to the offering for under 35-year-olds: In order to reach this age group in an even more targeted way, SRF will produce fewer formats in future, but will provide the remaining ones with more financial and human resources. The overall budget will remain unchanged.

Social plan planned

Natural fluctuation and regular and early retirements are expected to reduce the number of redundancies, the SRF added. A social plan will be implemented for affected employees.

The planned job cuts are subject to the results of the upcoming consultation process, which will be carried out by a staff delegation from the SSM trade union in August.

In addition to stabilizing the staffing and financial framework in the short term, "SRF 4.0" also aims to continue SRF's digital transformation in the medium and long term. To this end, the project team is working on various scenarios for the offering and the future organization until the end of the year. These scenarios take into account the uncertain development that SRF and SRG are facing due to the political processes.

Media associations are concerned

The Swiss Media Union (SSM) and the Impressum association expressed their concern about the announced job cuts on Thursday. Impressum demanded detailed information from SRG on the redundancy plans.

The continuous restructuring and the reduction in programming and personnel must be stopped, the SSM announced. This is particularly important now that the Federal Council's decision to partially revise the Radio and Television Ordinance (RTVO) means that further budget cuts are imminent in the coming years.

Media Minister Albert Rösti recently proposed gradually reducing the radio and television levy (Serafe) for households to CHF 300 per year by 2029. On the other hand, around 80 percent of companies subject to VAT are to be exempt from the levy from 2027.

According to SRG, it is the largest electronic media company in Switzerland with around 5700 full-time employees and an annual turnover of CHF 1.54 billion. (SDA/swi)