SRG President Cina wants "no taboos" on SRG reform - and to facilitate Admeira entry

"We will analyze everything, including our production processes and our infrastructure," said the former Valais CVP state councilor. In his opinion, SRG must adapt to digital change and new forms of media consumption, especially those of the younger generations.

"When I became president of SRG, I created a committee to look into the digital transformation of the company," Cina said. "It will be one of the big projects of the next few years."

In doing so, the SRG president rejected the accusation that SRG was occupying private media terrain by multiplying its offering. In the era of digital consumption, the number of channels is not the central element, he said. SRG has not created any new TV or radio stations for ten years, he said.

Open for further partners at Admeira

Cina went on to say that he was aware that SRG had to take into account what was happening in the private companies. "We need to better differentiate ourselves from these media by presenting our own audiovisual production," he said. SRG also needs to focus on the specificity of Switzerland in order to compete with foreign television, he added.

Regarding competition in advertising, in which the SRG finds itself with the private media, Cina said he was open to "any constructive possibility in the industry." He is ready to facilitate the inclusion of new partners in the marketing company Admeira, which SRG has created with Ringier and Swisscom.

Switzerland will vote on the No Billag initiative on March 4, 2018. This initiative calls for the abolition of radio and TV fees and prohibits the federal government from subsidizing TV and radio stations. Today, 70 to 73 percent of SRG's funding comes from fees. It receives CHF 1.235 billion of the total CHF 1.35 billion collected. (SDA)