SRG deficit: higher than expected at CHF 79 million
SRG closed its 2008 fiscal year with a deficit of 79 million francs. The loss is thus 22 million francs higher than the budgeted 57 million francs. For 2009, this means cutbacks in programming and in in-house productions. A license fee increase, however, is not under consideration.
SRG closed its 2008 financial year with a deficit of CHF 79 million. It considers cuts to the range of programs and in-house productions to be unavoidable. An increase in fees is not under discussion.
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What will be cut from the programs will be decided "as part of the medium-term planning", as SRG wrote on Thursday. Where, when and how much will have to be cut over the next three to five years will keep SRG and its committees very busy. In view of the economic crisis, an increase in fees is not under discussion for SRG. In 2009, it intends to cap the number of jobs at the level of the 2008 budget and increase the savings volume to CHF 100 million by 2010. The wage bill will increase by 2.8 percent in 2009.
SRG had budgeted a deficit of CHF 57 million for 2008, partly due to the costs of Euro 2008 and the Olympic Games. Commercial revenues fell in 2008. Due to the financial crisis, the pension fund was also underfunded. SRG therefore had unbudgeted expenditure. SRG closed the 2007 financial year with a deficit of CHF 18.5 million. Until 2007, it had still been possible to largely cushion the real decline in income since 2000 with savings and efficiency measures.
" SRG media convergence: news and contradictions from Bern
" Imprint sharply criticizes the SRG merger project
What will be cut from the programs will be decided "as part of the medium-term planning", as SRG wrote on Thursday. Where, when and how much will have to be cut over the next three to five years will keep SRG and its committees very busy. In view of the economic crisis, an increase in fees is not under discussion for SRG. In 2009, it intends to cap the number of jobs at the level of the 2008 budget and increase the savings volume to CHF 100 million by 2010. The wage bill will increase by 2.8 percent in 2009.
SRG had budgeted a deficit of CHF 57 million for 2008, partly due to the costs of Euro 2008 and the Olympic Games. Commercial revenues fell in 2008. Due to the financial crisis, the pension fund was also underfunded. SRG therefore had unbudgeted expenditure. SRG closed the 2007 financial year with a deficit of CHF 18.5 million. Until 2007, it had still been possible to largely cushion the real decline in income since 2000 with savings and efficiency measures.
