Swiss Broadcasting Corporation confirms plan to cut 900 jobs by 2029

Under the ongoing restructuring process, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation plans to cut 900 full-time equivalent jobs. Keystone-SDA

The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), Swissinfo's parent company, must save CHF270 million ($334 million) by 2029 as a result of a lower licence fee and falling commercial revenues. Under the ongoing restructuring process, 900 full-time equivalent job cuts are planned, it confirmed on Monday.

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The SBC is entering a phase of far-reaching restructuring following upheavals in the media sector and the gradual reduction in the Swiss licence fee, the state-owned media company said in a press release on Monday. It confirmed a savings plan of CHF270 million between now and 2029 – 17% of its 2024 budget – of which a first tranche of CHF125 million is to be implemented before 2027.

The most significant measure concerns jobs. Up to 900 full-time equivalent jobs could be lost, SBC confirmed on Monday. Around 300 of these are part of the ongoing savings programme. The remaining 600 job cuts will be phased in gradually, taking into account natural attrition such as retirements, but redundancies remain “unavoidable”, SBC said. The current consultation process and the redundancy plan should provide a framework for these measures.

SBC boss regrets cuts

“We regret these cuts. But political decisions and the context in which our company is evolving leave us no other choice,” said SBC Director General Susanne Wille, adding that if the company wants to remain strong, it must transform itself now.

This financial constraint is due in particular to the Swiss government’s decision to reduce the annual licence fee from CHF335 to CHF300 and to exempt more companies from paying it. This measure will result in a revenue shortfall of CHF120 million.

In addition, commercial revenues are expected to fall by CHF90 million, and operating costs should rise by CHF60 million due to inflation.

Management resized

This transformation of the company will be accompanied by a resizing of the SBC executive committee, which will be reduced from eight to seven members from April 2026, while Swiss TXT will be integrated into the organisation. The management positions at the four language units, RSI, RTR, RTS and SRF, will be maintained to ensure stability during the transition.

The new heads of SBC’s “Operations” and “Offer” departments will be recruited externally, as will the new head of SRF, whose selection process has already begun.

Adapted from French by DeepL/sb

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