Switzerland boosts financial support for struggling news media
The federal government tabled on Wednesday a series of measures to help a sector it considers vital to democracy but that has suffered in recent years from plummeting revenues.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/gw
Daily and weekly subscription-based newspapers with small circulations will see their federal assistance increase to CHF50 million from the current CHF30 million. A 40,000-print run ceiling for newspapers will disappear. The government is also extending assistance to national titles and to newspapers belonging to a group with an overall average circulation of more than 100,000 print copies per edition.
Through these measures, an additional 35 million newspaper copies are set to benefit from indirect government financial support.
Parliament must vote on the proposed package.
Online media outlets that offer paid subscriptions will also now receive government funding. The government is allocating CHF30 million to support digital transformation in the industry.
To receive these funds, the outlets must meet certain conditions, including clearly separating editorial content from advertising, creating content for a broad audience, and following journalistic guidelines.
A decline in advertising revenue, job cuts and mergers have all taken a toll on the news media in recent years. The federal government announced earlier this month it would increase its financial contribution to the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, private radio and television, and to the main swiss news agency, Keystone-SDA.
More
More
Swiss press free but struggling to survive, report finds
This content was published on
Switzerland stays in the top 10 nations for press freedom while the global situation continues to be problematic, Reporters without Borders finds.
This content was published on
A majority of Swiss citizens have open attitudes towards various infertility treatments, including even egg donation, which is currently prohibited.
Reports of Swiss cyber fraud almost doubled in six months
This content was published on
The head of the new Federal Office for Cybersecurity (FOC), Florian Schütz, has presented a new strategy after just over four months in office.
Ecological status of Swiss streams insufficient according to study
This content was published on
Pesticide use and obstructions of waterways have a particularly negative impact on sensitive organisms, completely absent in 70% of streams analysed.
Train line between Brig and Domodossola interrupted
This content was published on
One day after a derailment approximately 15 kilometres from the Swiss border, BLS is running buses for passengers between Preglia and Domodossola, in Italy.
Swiss football boss wants crackdown on individual hooligans
This content was published on
The head of the Swiss Football League says he prefers a harsher approach to individual hooligans rather than collective punishment measures affecting all fans.
Amherd: Council of Europe is ‘as urgently needed as ever’
This content was published on
The Swiss government emphasised on Sunday the vital role of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, 75 years after it was founded.
Swiss minister: Italy will back Switzerland in EU talks
This content was published on
Bern can count on the backing of Italy as it re-enters talks with the European Union on future relations, Viola Amherd says.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Coronavirus brings existential threat to Swiss press, despite more readers
This content was published on
The Swiss media has seen a spike in readership and audiences during the pandemic, but revenues from advertisers have also shrunk.
Tech giants and digital shifts continue to erode Swiss media
This content was published on
Growing media concentration, privatisation of societal debates, lost advertising revenues: this is the 2019 Quality of the Media Yearbook.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.