Public broadcaster to receive more government support
The government has decided to boost its financial contribution to the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), private radio and television as well as the main Swiss news agency.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/ug
The SBC, swissinfo.ch’s parent company, is to receive an additional CHF50 million ($51.7 million) from revenue mainly taken in by the licence fee paid by every Swiss household as well as by companies with an annual turnover of less than CHF500,000.
Annual government support for the SBCExternal link will now stand at CHF1.25 billion, to produce radio and television programmes in the four national languages.
The news agency Keystone-SDAExternal link, a private company partly owned by the SBC, will see its government contribution doubled to CHF4 million.
In line with a pledge to review the licence fee for consumers at regular intervals, the government also decided to lower the annual fee to CHF335 from CHF365 annually.
The reduction was made possible because of the growing number of contributors, according to a ministry statement on Thursday.
In 2018, Swiss voters threw out a proposal to scrap the mandatory licence fee. The initiative was supported by right-wing and libertarian parties as well as the association of small and medium-sized businesses.
An attempt led by the SME association to thwart a change in the funding system also narrowly failed in 2015.
More
More
Public media striving to give taxpayers their money’s worth
This content was published on
In an era of Spotify and Netflix, where does public media fit in – and how can it stay relevant and true to society’s needs?
Uri voters clear path for hotel and marina complex in central Switzerland
This content was published on
Voters in canton Uri in central Switzerland have rejected a Green Party initiative aimed at regulating the development of the lakeside site in Isleten.
Valais voters reject plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040
This content was published on
Voters in canton Valais in southern Switzerland have turned down a proposal for the region to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040.
Swiss central banker wants to boost equity to head off risks
This content was published on
Equity levels at the Swiss National Bank (SNB) are much too low for the risks its large balance sheet poses, according to Martin Schlegel.
Beer sales in Switzerland watered down by bad weather
This content was published on
The past brewing year fell through in Switzerland, partly due to the bad weather. Beer sales shrank again. For the first time, per capita consumption fell below the 50 liter mark.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Public media striving to give taxpayers their money’s worth
This content was published on
In an era of Spotify and Netflix, where does public media fit in – and how can it stay relevant and true to society’s needs?
Swiss public broadcaster to shed fewer jobs than expected
This content was published on
The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) will shed fewer jobs than initially stated as it embarks on a four-year cost-cutting programme.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.