TVO retains the concession for regional television
Everything remains the same in the television landscape of Eastern Switzerland. The Department of DETEC has once again awarded the license for the period from 2025 to 2034 to CH Media's existing broadcaster TVO. It thus decided against Galledia's application. CEO Daniel Ettlinger comments on the negative decision.
DETEC put a total of 13 TV licenses out to tender and has now awarded them again at the beginning of 2024 (Werbewoche.ch reported). With Galledia, publisher of this portal among others, a second company had applied for a TV license for Eastern Switzerland. However, despite two breaches of the license conditions, TVO retains the license and can continue broadcasting from 2025 to 2034.
Daniel Ettlinger, CEO of the Galledia Group, is disappointed by the decision: "We were convinced by our offer. Unfortunately, Bakom has now decided otherwise. We still have to examine the reasons for this in detail. If we can understand it, we will accept the decision; if not, we will consider an appeal."
Ettlinger did not expect the license to remain with TVO: "We thought there was a good chance that Bakom would recognize the quality of our licence application and give a new provider a chance after 20 years of TVO. This is also because proceedings have already been opened against TVO for the second time, as the performance mandate prescribed by OFCOM has not been fulfilled. We find this astonishing, especially as TVO did not explain during the licensing procedure what measures had been taken to avoid such errors in future."
When asked what this decision means for the Galledia Group, Ettlinger refers to the further steps already mentioned. If there is no appeal, the issue of television at Galledia is off the table. "Without federal subsidies, financially balanced regional television is not possible. We are not prepared to bear the deficits associated with Eastern Switzerland TV. We would rather invest more in other regional media projects, such as the expansion of our news platform Dieostschweiz.ch."
Galledia is the largest independent media company in Eastern Switzerland. In addition to numerous specialist and association publications, which also include m&k advertisingweek.ch the media company includes three local daily newspapers in the St. Gallen Rhine Valley, several online publications, graphic production companies, a marketing agency, two digital and software agencies and two event agencies. Galledia employs over 400 people and trains around 20 apprentices. The television project envisaged 31 full-time positions for the operation of "Ostschweiz TV" (Werbewoche.ch reported).
