The Swiss public broadcaster has to make cuts now that the increase in broadcasting tax in Switzerland requested by SRG/SRR has been definitively cancelled. The broadcaster SRG/SRR announced this today. The Swiss public broadcaster even has to make cuts of 55 million Swiss Francs annually. Until recently, the SRG/SRR assumed that more money could be spent on an annual basis through a larger increase in the broadcast tax in Switzerland.

Due to the cancellation of the additional financial budget of SRG/SRR, the intended HD appearance of Switzerland’s first and second public television networks will be delayed by two years. SRG/SRR was to start with HDTV in 2010, but this will not be until 2012 at the earliest. Until 2010, SRG/SRR will provide periodic HDTV broadcasts. For example, during the European Football Championship, which will be held in Austria and Switzerland in 2008, an occasional HDTV channel from SRG/SRR will be active in Switzerland.

In addition to postponing SRG/SRR’s HDTV plans, significant cuts will also have to be made in the short term to the existing programs broadcast by Swiss public channels. For example, SRG/SRR will no longer bid for the broadcasting rights of Formula 1 races. As a result, Formula 1 will be shown for the last time this year via the Swiss public broadcaster.

In early December 2006, the Swiss parliament decided to increase the broadcasting tax by only 2 1/2 percent. SRG/SRR had requested a much larger increase in the broadcasting tax. SRG/SRR wanted an increase of 7 percent. Instead of the requested 76 million Swiss Francs, they receive “only” an additional 25 million Swiss Francs on an annual basis. The broadcasting contribution for Swiss households therefore amounts to 267 euros per year, which amounts to 22 euros per month.