published1. June 2022, 11:43
Since Tuesday, signatures have been collected for a lower media fee. Politicians and the SRG say what would change with it.
The initiative would result in the SRG taking in around 700 million francs less each year (today it is 1.2 billion francs from the media levy). This would probably mean that SRG might only produce at one location, says spokeswoman Lauranne Peman.
SRG
SP Natonalrat Matthias Aebischer says: “Radio and TV programs in French, Italian and Rhaeto-Romanic Switzerland might no longer be financed.”
20 minutes/Simon Glauser
On Tuesday followingnoon, a group of SRG critics launched the collection of signatures for the “200 francs are enough” initiative. The initiative committee is headed by SVP President Marco Chiesa, SVP National Councilors Gregor Rutz and Thomas Matter, Trade Association Director Hans-Ulrich Bigler and Young Liberal President Matthias Müller.
The initiative demands that the current media tax be reduced from CHF 335 per household to CHF 200. Companies are to be exempted from the levy, they now pay proportionally to sales. The reduction would have far-reaching consequences for the SRG, which currently earns CHF 1.2 billion a year from the media tax.
“More than half would have to be deleted”
If the media levy is reduced to 200 francs, SRG fee income will drop by around 700 million francs, meaning that radio and TV programs in French, Italian and Romansh-speaking Switzerland would no longer be financially viable, says SP National Councilor Matthias Aebischer. “Because the revenue there only covers a minimal part of the costs.” The initiators would therefore primarily attack the minorities. This procedure is “absolutely unswiss”.
According to CVP National Councilor Martin Candinas, the SRG should focus massively, “and focus is the opposite of breadth”. The breadth is reflected, for example, in the regional language offerings and the variety of topics in the areas of art, culture, religion, philosophy and sport. “I’m thinking of women’s football, rowing, equestrian sports, floorball, beach volleyball or other fringe sports that don’t reach a mass audience. Nevertheless, it has its place at SRG, that is also the purpose of SRG. » There would no longer be such an offer if the initiative got through, says the native of Graubünden. “The initiative would be a clear cut, more than half of the offer would have to be deleted.”
“The SRG will fight”
“Offers would definitely have to be canceled,” says SRG spokeswoman Lauranne Peman. She mightn’t say which. “With such a reduced budget, SRG might no longer be financed in its current, decentralized structure. The result would be extensive centralization with probably only one production site,” says Peman. This at the expense of the peripheral regions. And there would certainly be a wave of layoffs, today SRG employs around 6,900 people. About half of them, that is, thousands, would lose their jobs. “Major impacts on headcount would be inevitable,” says Peman.
“The SRG will publicly fight this attack on the media service and is ready to prove its contribution to society once more.”
“Cancel casting shows and American films”
But where should savings be made in the opinion of the initiators? If SVP National Councilor Gregor Rutz has his way, casting shows, American feature films and formats such as “Glanz & Gloria” will be eliminated in the future. The SRG might leave that to the private sector. On the other hand, programs such as “Mini Schwiz, dini Schwiz”, “Tierdoku” and “52 best books” are part of SRG’s core mission.
Committee member Leroy Bächtold from the Young Liberals wants SRG’s mandate to be discussed and redefined first. Despite all the promises made by the Federal Council, Parliament has never done this. “One would have to reduce the offer where the private sector is also strong. For example, radio stations such as Radio Swiss Pop are operated, which are in direct competition with private offers.”
