ZURICH, March 8 (Reuters) - Swiss voters looked set on Sunday to reject a referendum to slash public broadcaster SRG’s funding, with early projections showing 62% opposing a plan to cut the annual
Swiss voters reject plan to cut funding for state broadcaster
Swiss Referendum on Public Broadcaster Funding
By John Revill
Overview of the Vote and Results
ZURICH, March 8 (Reuters) - Swiss voters on Sunday rejected a referendum to slash public broadcaster SRG’s funding, with the interim results showing 62% opposing a plan to cut the annual licence fee, a move critics warned would weaken media and fuel disinformation.
Details of the Proposed Funding Cut
The campaign wanted to reduce the annual licence fee that all Swiss households must pay from 335 Swiss francs ($432) to 200 francs.
Arguments from Supporters of the Cut
Supporters, mainly from right-wing groups including the Swiss People's Party (SVP), had argued that the charge – the highest in the world – was too expensive, and that SRG, which runs 17 radio stations and seven TV channels in four languages, had become too bloated.
Claims of Political Bias
They also said the SRG was not politically independent, and had a left-wing bias in its coverage.
Opposition to the Funding Reduction
Potential Impact on Media Output
LOWER FUNDING WOULD IMPACT SRG OUTPUT, OPPONENTS SAY
Opponents had said the move reflected pressure on public media organisations from the political right, which has accused national broadcasters globally of being politically biased against them.
News, sports and cultural coverage would suffer, opponents said, while an SRG weakened by lower funding could mean that disinformation would be easier to spread.
Statements from Key Figures
"A major dismantling of Switzerland's media infrastructure has been prevented," said Laura Zimmermann, leader of the campaign against the cuts. "Our access to reliable information remains protected."
"We remain fully committed to accompanying the public in their everyday lives with a diverse and high-quality programme," said Susanne Wille, SRG director general.
Additional Information
($1 = 0.7757 Swiss francs)
($1 = 0.7757 Swiss francs)
(Reporting by John Revill; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Ros Russell)
