Licence-Fee Cut Would Hit Regional News First, SRG Says

BERN - The initiative that would cap and cut the household levy for public broadcasting goes to the people on Sunday. SRG directors said a yes would land first on regional news, sports rights and production in French, Italian and Romansh. Supporters said a public broadcaster that cannot live on 200 francs a year has a size problem, not a revenue problem.

The Federal Council argues that the fee is the price of a service that private websites will not replace in the valleys. The SVP calls that a threat. Independent local papers, which compete with SRG and also rely on it as a civic weather system, split in their editorials.

A bill people open

Unlike most initiatives, this one maps onto a line on a household statement. That is its strength. The result night file is here.