Trade unions criticize SRG fee reduction as “arbitrary”
Published: Wednesday, Nov 8th 2023, 16:20
Updated At: Thursday, Nov 9th 2023, 00:54
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The media unions SSM and syndicom have criticized the Federal Council's proposal to reduce SRG fees as "arbitrary". This would not only affect the SRG but also the private media companies and would "acutely" jeopardize the quality of the public service.
The trade unions announced on Wednesday that not only the SRG would be affected by cuts amounting to CHF 150 to 200 million, but also the Swiss film and music industry, the entire cultural sector and the licensed private radio and television stations with a performance mandate.
Media Minister Albert Rösti's decision would "further promote the erosion of media diversity and quality in the Swiss media landscape". At the same time, this would lead to "further massive job cuts" and a weakening of the entire Swiss media landscape.
The counter-proposal would thus have the same effect as accepting the halving initiative, it continued. It "weakens the public media service for no reason and without need. This is poison for our democracy," syndicom Vice President Stephanie Vonarburg is quoted as saying in the press release.
This is because the decision increases the risk that the Swiss population will be "less and less supplied with reliable, critical and independent journalism". The trade unions therefore want to defend themselves "with all their strength" against this reduction.
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