SRG Cost-Cutting Measures: 80 Million Swiss Francs Set for 2027

SRG SSR has finalized its cost-cutting measures for 2027. As part of the company-wide transformation project Enavant, the company is undergoing a fundamental restructuring to become more digital, efficient, and agile. By 2029, SRG must save a total of approximately 270 million Swiss francs, of which 80 million Swiss francs have already been allocated for 2027 across its regional units and divisions.

Focus on Structures Rather Than Program Cuts

According to the announcement, about 95 percent of the cost savings for 2027 will be achieved through changes to structures, processes, and production methods. Nevertheless, the effects will also be felt in the programming. Where possible, savings are to be achieved within existing formats or through increased collaboration across language regions, rather than by canceling entire programs. In the programming division, opportunities for cross-language-region collaboration will be leveraged more extensively, particularly in sports and fiction. In the operations division, cost-cutting efforts will focus on operational and technical services. The support departments—Finance, HR, Corporate Affairs, and Communications—are implementing disproportionately large cost-cutting measures to ensure that programming is spared as much as possible for the benefit of the audience.

The new organizational model has been gradually implemented since January of last year. Departments such as Finance, Human Resources, Operations, and Programming are now managed on an SRG-wide basis, with regionally based specialist teams. In the Programming division, sports and fiction, as well as the live and streaming platform Play+, are now consolidated and managed across the entire SRG. In the Operations division, the production and technology departments have been merged, which, according to SRG, has already reduced duplication of effort in recent months.

Fewer Management Levels at SRG

The top three management levels are now almost fully staffed. At these levels, SRG is reducing the number of management positions by more than 20 percent compared to 2024. Women account for more than 40 percent of these positions, which, according to the company, is nearly in line with the overall gender ratio at SRG. The final figures on the composition of the new leadership structure will be available once the hiring process is complete.

Part of the job cuts is to be achieved through natural attrition and retirements. The SRG’s social plan will apply to the job cuts. SRG Board of Directors Chairman Jean-Michel Cina says: «The necessary cost-cutting measures require major changes across the entire SRG. It is crucial that we implement these changes responsibly now. To this end, we are strengthening cooperation across the language regions. At the same time, our regional roots remain central to us.»

SRG Director General Susanne Wille emphasizes: «We are committed to our audience. That is why we are implementing the government’s cost-cutting mandate in a way that ensures as much of every franc from the media license fee as possible goes toward programming. To this end, we are also consistently reviewing our own structures: At the highest management levels, we are cutting more than 20 percent of management positions. At the same time, we are protecting our programming wherever possible.» She further notes: «These changes are challenging for the company and especially for the employees affected. However, they are necessary to make SRG more digital, efficient, and agile, and to continue providing strong public service for Switzerland in the future.»

Communication in the Language Regions

Information regarding the cost-cutting measures for 2027 will be communicated in the coming days across the four language regions. The regions will provide details on the specific impacts on their programming and their employees: SRF in German-speaking Switzerland on September 14, RTS in French-speaking Switzerland on September 15, RSI in Italian-speaking Switzerland on September 16, and RTR in Romansh-speaking Switzerland on September 17, 2026.

The measures for 2027 do not mark the end of SRG’s transformation. Further transformation and cost-saving measures for 2028 and 2029 will be gradually implemented in the various divisions and regions as part of the financial planning process. SRG also intends to continuously adapt, develop, and renew its programming offerings in the coming years.

For more information about SRG SSR, visit https://www.srgssr.ch.