SRG should dispense with targeted advertising
"For once, I haven't talked about SRG - and then you come up with this question": VSM President Pietro Supino didn't seem entirely happy when, after his Epiphany greeting, moderator Reto Brennwald asked him for an up-to-date statement on the "No Billag" initiative. No-Billag not a publisher issue Supino nevertheless provided information, in a tone that [...]
No-Billag not a publisher issue
Nevertheless, Supino provided information in a tone that varied between diplomacy and determination: "As publishers, the initiative is not our topic - but our position on SRG has been known for a long time. We support a fee-financed SRG, but we expect in return that the SRG does not abuse the privilege of fee financing to compete with us." In concrete terms, this means, according to Supino, that the SRG restricts itself in the commercial area - indeed: completely renounces new forms of commercialization. What the VSM president wants is nothing new in itself: Ever since the announcement of an advertising alliance between SRG, Ringier and Swisscom about two years ago, the topic has repeatedly caused controversy. At present, SRG still lacks the legal basis for target-group-specific advertising, but a consultation process is underway and should be completed by the end of 2018. A new SRG concession could then bring about significant changes in the advertising market and cause problems for Tamedia AG, for example, as whose Chief Executive Officer Supino serves on the Board of Directors.
Cooperation between SRG and private companies as market distortion
But not only with regard to advertising, but also in principle, Pietro Supino questioned the so-called "strategic partnerships" of SRG and private companies: to team up with individual players in the free economy and thus let them profit indirectly from SRG fee financing distorts competition. In addition, the VSM president said, he expected "the public sector" not to poach in the territory of the paid print media and offer content free of charge for which you have to pay elsewhere.Moderator Brennwald wanted to know whether these demands were realistic. They would only be the subject of serious negotiations if the people rejected "No Billag". Pietro Supino responded: "I am confident that the SRG can be won over to our arguments, because they are logical in themselves. Sooner or later, the SRG only has the choice of either behaving correctly or having to reckon with the fact that its resources will be reduced.
Promoting media competence and ensuring plurality
The VSM President had to expect that the topic of the "No Billag" initiative would come up. His actual greeting, however, had a different focus: Here, Supino was primarily concerned with media competence and its social promotion. "What I would like to call for today is to form a round table to strengthen media competence in Switzerland." A pluralistic media system can only exist and prosper if people know how to use and appreciate it, he said. Schools are just as much a part of this as politicians, and private media are just as responsible as public media.
First "Get Together" of the Year
For all the media-political relevance of the VSM Three Kings' Meeting, it is traditionally at least as important for informal "networking" over king cake and coffee. The numerous representatives of various Swiss and international publications, print shops, marketing and corporate communications took advantage of the first "get together" of the year accordingly. You can find some impressions in the following picture gallery:
