Zurich City Council wants Radio 1
The Zurich City Council has come out very clearly in favor of Roger Schawinski’s Radio 1 with regard to the renewal of the broadcast license. In the TV sector, the city government is siding with Tele Züri, but—as with the radio areas—it has requested changes: The City Council would like to see two licenses issued for the Zurich-Northeast Switzerland TV region.
The Zurich City Council is clearly in favor of Roger Schawinski's Radio 1 when it comes to relicensing. In the TV sector, the city government is on the side of Tele Züri, but - as with the radio areas - has expressed a desire for changes. This can be seen in the statement from Zurich City Council, signed by Mayor Elmar Ledergeber and City Clerk André Kury, which was published on the website of the Federal Office of Communications on Tuesday. The five license applications submitted for the Zurich-Glarus radio region by Radio Zürisee, Radio 1, Music First Network, Radio 24 and Energy Zurich are all considered by the city council to "meet the legal requirements". However, one application stands out: that of Roger Schawinski's Radio 1 "not only testifies to the personal commitment of the applicant", but also bears witness to "impressive professionalism and experience", according to the statement. In the opinion of the city council, Radio 1 should be granted a license in any case. The station is "the only one" in a position to bring movement to the radio landscape, the city council continues.
The city government considers the three stations Radio 24, Energy Zürich and Radio Zürisee to be well established. Radio 24 and Energy Zürich are better established in the city than Radio Zürisee. Nevertheless, the city council would like to refrain from giving a preference. In doing so, it wants to prevent one of the commercially successful stations that has been in existence for over 20 years from having to be shut down. The city government would like to counter this delicate situation with a change request: it is proposing to the Federal Council and Bakom that four licenses be awarded for the Zurich-Glarus radio area instead of the planned three. This would mean that the four stations mentioned above could all be considered for a license.
With regard to Music First Network's application for Radio 105 Züri, the City Council is of the opinion that the station is still too little known to the general public and still has to prove itself. In addition, the operating company already has a license for a youth radio station in the city of Zurich. By law, however, a company may hold two licenses.
The City Council has also requested changes in the television sector: it would like two licenses to be awarded in the Zurich-North-Eastern Switzerland TV region. Only then would media competition be possible, according to the statement. If the Federal Council and Bakom do not follow this recommendation, the city council would like Tele Züri to be considered for the license. This is because the station is very firmly anchored in the agglomeration and "realistically, it would be hard to imagine life without it", according to the city council.
However, it is very unlikely that Bakom will be impressed by these requests for changes: spokespersons for the Federal Office have repeatedly emphasized to Werbewoche that changes are ruled out until the licensing procedure has been completed. Only then could adjustments be considered in the medium term. For the Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), which intends to award the licenses from early summer 2008, the statements are part of the opinion-forming process - they are not binding.
The city government considers the three stations Radio 24, Energy Zürich and Radio Zürisee to be well established. Radio 24 and Energy Zürich are better established in the city than Radio Zürisee. Nevertheless, the city council would like to refrain from giving a preference. In doing so, it wants to prevent one of the commercially successful stations that has been in existence for over 20 years from having to be shut down. The city government would like to counter this delicate situation with a change request: it is proposing to the Federal Council and Bakom that four licenses be awarded for the Zurich-Glarus radio area instead of the planned three. This would mean that the four stations mentioned above could all be considered for a license.
With regard to Music First Network's application for Radio 105 Züri, the City Council is of the opinion that the station is still too little known to the general public and still has to prove itself. In addition, the operating company already has a license for a youth radio station in the city of Zurich. By law, however, a company may hold two licenses.
The City Council has also requested changes in the television sector: it would like two licenses to be awarded in the Zurich-North-Eastern Switzerland TV region. Only then would media competition be possible, according to the statement. If the Federal Council and Bakom do not follow this recommendation, the city council would like Tele Züri to be considered for the license. This is because the station is very firmly anchored in the agglomeration and "realistically, it would be hard to imagine life without it", according to the city council.
However, it is very unlikely that Bakom will be impressed by these requests for changes: spokespersons for the Federal Office have repeatedly emphasized to Werbewoche that changes are ruled out until the licensing procedure has been completed. Only then could adjustments be considered in the medium term. For the Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), which intends to award the licenses from early summer 2008, the statements are part of the opinion-forming process - they are not binding.
