Switzerland/ Media: regional press to receive $35 million in aid
On Thursday, the Council of States approved a CHF 35 million subsidy for the regional press. According to the text, support is limited to seven years.
Almost three years after the popular rejection of the media package, the regional press can take a breather. On Thursday, by 37 votes to 6, the Council of States approved additional financial aid of CHF 35 million.
All the senators deplored the current situation of the press, with announcements of cuts multiplying in recent months. Marianne Maret (C/VS), speaking on behalf of the committee, said that financial support for the print media was necessary to give them the time they needed to go digital.
The project, the result of a parliamentary initiative by Christine Bulliard-Marbach (Centre/FR), targets small local media. It includes an additional CHF 45 million to the CHF 50 million paid out each year by the Confederation for indirect support to the press.
The National Council wants to increase the annual contribution to the regional press from the current CHF 30 million to CHF 45 million. A further 30 million is to be made available for the morning distribution of local and regional subscription newspapers. However, the deputies did away with the 20 million in aid for the community press, already included in the law.
Non-profit press preserved
The Council of States revised the National Council's proposal. The amount of additional aid has been reduced to 35 million.
By 27 votes to 15, the senators want to allocate 40 million a year to the regional and local press. This is 10 million more than at present, but 5 million less than proposed by the National Council.
By 29 votes to 16, and in contrast to the National Council, the Senators maintained support for the associative press at 20 million. The SVP was supported by the left and some centrists.
Annual contributions for morning distribution, newly proposed within the framework of the project, should be reduced by 5 million to a total of 25 million francs. The decision was taken by 31 votes to 14.
Limited to seven years
According to the text, the aid is limited to seven years, and the media are expected to use this time to invest in a new business model. The amendment avoids the pitfall of direct state support for the media, the main criticism that sank the package in 2022.
The dossier now goes back to the National Council.
No support for electronic media
The Council of States is opposed to support for the electronic media. On Thursday, it tacitly buried a motion from the National Council to support these media, which offer journalistic content.
In the wake of the debate on indirect support for regional and local media, the senators decided against generalized support for all media. They intend to avoid opening the way to the creation of "state media". This was one of the points most criticized in the package of measures rejected in 2022.
On the other hand, the Chamber of Cantons has passed on another motion from the National Council, which concerns the elimination of unfair competition from press subsidies for associations and foundations. In its view, it is important to put all postal service providers on an equal footing, in the context of the proposed changes to indirect press subsidies.
Source: www.lenouvelliste.ch/
