U1 TV sent employees provisional notice of termination
The private broadcaster U1 TV will continue to be available on Cablecom’s analog network for the time being, but has given notice to some employees as a precautionary measure. If the Federal Administrative Court gives Cablecom the green light to move U1 TV to its digital platform, only about one-third of the current 30 employees would likely remain on staff.
The private broadcaster U1 TV will continue to be available on Cablecom's analog network for the time being, but has given some employees notice of termination as a precautionary measure. A super-provisional ruling by the Federal Administrative Court had guaranteed the broadcaster that it would not be removed from Cablecom's analog network before January 7. The reprieve now continues: as spokesman Hanspeter Nehmer told Werbewoche, the network operator will not remove the channel from the analog network until a corresponding decision has been made by the Federal Administrative Court. U1 TV has lodged an appeal with the Federal Administrative Court against the decision of the Federal Office of Communications, which stated that the channel could be switched off by Cablecom (see
). Although the television producers are still hoping that the court will rule in their favor, redundancies have been announced as a precautionary measure. At the request of Werbewoche, spokesman Peter Heeb confirmed a corresponding report by NZZ am Sonntag: "Should the Federal Administrative Court uphold Bakom's decision, we will no longer be able to employ all our staff". In this case, U1 TV would be broadcast on Cablecom's digital network. Heeb assumes that a third of the current 30 employees will then be able to remain working for the broadcaster. In any case, the clairvoyant figurehead Mike Shiva will remain. U1 TV had offered Bakom to reduce Shiva's program to two hours - but even this offer did not make the Federal Office any milder. With the shift to digital, U1 TV would only be broadcast to around half as many households as before. According to Heeb, the broadcaster is currently examining various options as to how it could position itself following a corresponding decision by the judges: Although Swiss sports television has switched to Star TV, sport is still an issue for U1 TV. A stronger focus on politics would also be possible. In any case, it is already certain that Heeb's own company, Heeb & Partner, will produce the broadcast of the SVP Albisgüetlitagung, which will flicker across the screen on U1 TV.
). Although the television producers are still hoping that the court will rule in their favor, redundancies have been announced as a precautionary measure. At the request of Werbewoche, spokesman Peter Heeb confirmed a corresponding report by NZZ am Sonntag: "Should the Federal Administrative Court uphold Bakom's decision, we will no longer be able to employ all our staff". In this case, U1 TV would be broadcast on Cablecom's digital network. Heeb assumes that a third of the current 30 employees will then be able to remain working for the broadcaster. In any case, the clairvoyant figurehead Mike Shiva will remain. U1 TV had offered Bakom to reduce Shiva's program to two hours - but even this offer did not make the Federal Office any milder. With the shift to digital, U1 TV would only be broadcast to around half as many households as before. According to Heeb, the broadcaster is currently examining various options as to how it could position itself following a corresponding decision by the judges: Although Swiss sports television has switched to Star TV, sport is still an issue for U1 TV. A stronger focus on politics would also be possible. In any case, it is already certain that Heeb's own company, Heeb & Partner, will produce the broadcast of the SVP Albisgüetlitagung, which will flicker across the screen on U1 TV.
