More money for local radio and regional TV, but not for SRG
The Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) is increasing financial support for licensed local radio stations and regional TV by CHF 13.5 million as of January 1, 2019. They will now receive a total of 81 million francs per year from the proceeds of the radio and television levy. The increase in contributions implements a decision taken by the Federal Council on October 18, 2017.
Around two-thirds of these additional funds (CHF 8.4 million) will go to the 13 licensed regional TVs, while a good third will benefit the 21 authorized radios. Within the radios, 85 percent goes to the commercial radios in mountain and peripheral regions and 15 percent to the complementary non-commercial radios. This means that the commercial radios will receive an additional CHF 4.3 million and the complementary radios around CHF 780,000 per year. DETEC is increasing the levy shares of the individual broadcasters according to the distribution model that was already used for the new licensing in 2008. This takes into account, among other things, the economic characteristics of the coverage areas as well as the special services that some broadcasters have to provide, such as bilingual programs.
The higher fee shares will apply from 2019 until further notice, i.e. also for those local radio stations and regional TV stations whose licenses will be extended from 2020. DETEC envisages an extension of the licenses expiring at the end of 2019 for the years 2020 to 2024. The license extension is intended to enable the migration from FM to DAB+ and to bridge the time until the new Federal Electronic Media Act, which is currently being consulted, comes into force.
With this increase, DETEC is implementing a decision of the Federal Council. On October 18, 2017, the Federal Council had increased the financial resources for the benefit of licensed local radio stations and regional TV from five to the legal maximum of six percent of the total revenue from the reception fee. The decision is in line with the ideas of parliament. In 2017, the parliament had spoken out in favor of a rapid increase in the share of the license fee for private broadcasters.
The SRG, on the other hand, will not benefit from an increase: The Federal Council had also capped its share of the reception fees at CHF 1.2 billion per year on October 18, 2017.
