Leuthard on the No Billag initiative: "A crash, a slap in the face".
From the point of view of Media Minister Doris Leuthard, the result on the No Billag initiative shows that the population is connected to public radio and television. 71 percent No was a clear result, she told the media in Bern on Sunday.
When an initiative is rejected by 71 percent or more, it is usually referred to as a "crash," a "slap in the face. In such a case, the initiators should admit defeat and "not come to the Federal Council ten minutes later with big demands.
The result shows that the electorate wants to keep public broadcasting - and that they are willing to pay a levy for it. During the months-long referendum campaign, there had also been wild claims, Leuthard said. She hopes for a bit more objectivity and fact orientation in the near future.
Overall, however, such discussions are a sign of a lively democracy. The Federal Council notes the result with satisfaction, the media minister said. "But that should not prevent us from thinking about necessary adjustments."
Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard speaks to the media in Bern on Sunday.
New media law in the works
Leuthard recalled that the fee money for SRG will be capped at CHF 1.2 billion from next year. And she confirmed that the Federal Council intends to send the draft of the new law on electronic media for consultation in the middle of the year. The current law focuses on radio and TV, she noted. But media consumption via the Internet is on the rise.
In the future, therefore, not only radio and TV offerings but also online offerings should be able to qualify as public service and receive fee money. The "channel" is not decisive, said Leuthard. What is important is that there is a diverse offering in all language regions that reaches the audience.
Online advertising ban remains
At the same time, electronic media offerings without a performance mandate would be deregulated as much as possible. "Where the market plays, we do not want to intervene," Leuthard said. She also emphasized that a ban on online advertising should continue to apply to SRG.
Leuthard also announced an innovation on Sunday: In the future, an independent commission will be responsible for issuing performance mandates and licenses. The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) has also done this independently, she said. With the innovation, however, all accusations of improper separation should be eliminated.
The media minister also commented on the SDA news agency. It is a "very important institution that contributes to the fact that we have articles of very good quality," said the media minister. She reiterated that the SDA should receive two million francs from the fee pot in the future. The Federal Council had proposed this in a revision of the ordinance. (SDA)
