Graubünden expands media coverage in Italy
The canton of Graubünden is improving media coverage in the Italian-speaking areas of southern Graubünden. The government decided to expand an Italian-language editorial office at the Keystone-SDA news agency. In addition, a joint e-platform is being set up for the media in the Italian-speaking part of the canton.
The government announced on Tuesday that media coverage in the south of the canton of Graubünden in Italian is more modest compared to the Rhaeto-Romanic or even German-language media offerings in Graubünden. This is why the executive is focusing its support on the media landscape in the Italian-speaking part of the canton. This includes the southern valleys of Misox, Bergell and Puschlav.
One of the plans is to strengthen Keystone-SDA's Servizio Valli Italofone dei Grigioni (SVI). The Italian-language editorial office in Chur is to be expanded from the current 50 percent to 100 percent. In addition, an increase of 20 percent in each of the three southern valleys is planned from 2026.
"This is intended to ensure an appropriate journalistic service in Italian on current events in politics, business, culture and society," the government wrote.
As before, Keystone-SDA will retain both journalistic responsibility and the management of staff in terms of personnel law. The Italian-language editorial office at Keystone-SDA was set up in 2017 on behalf of the canton of Graubünden and is funded by the federal and cantonal language subsidies.
E-platform for Italian-language media
The government also decided to set up the E-Grigionitaliano digital platform through the InfoGrigione association. E-Grigionitaliano uses modern technology to help share locally produced content across the valleys.
According to the executive, the projects are not primarily intended to save individual media companies or preserve their structures. The focus is on information for the community in politically and socially relevant areas that are not sufficiently provided by the market.
The government expects the implementation of the two projects to cost the canton CHF 220,000 per year from 2024. The federal government will also contribute financially as part of the promotion of minority languages. (SDA)
