Business · Companies · 10 hrs ago
Swissinfo to end Portuguese and Japanese services as funding is cut
Switzerland’s Federal Council approved a new agreement for SRG’s services abroad covering 2027 to 2030.
Swissinfo’s annual budget will fall from 18.8 million to 10.5 million francs, a cut of 8.3 million francs.
Portuguese and Japanese services will end, and the tvsvizzera.it platform will also close.
Swissinfo will continue in German, French, Italian, English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and Arabic, serving Swiss people abroad and helping explain Switzerland internationally.
About 22 full-time-equivalent jobs will be cut across Swissinfo and other SRG services, with some work also reorganised.
The media union SSM says the cut conflicts with Parliament’s position and argues it should be corrected.
The agreement takes effect on 1 January 2027, while Parliament is due to discuss funding for that year in its winter session.
The Swiss government has approved a 2027–2030 agreement that cuts annual funding for Swissinfo by 8.3 million francs.
Swissinfo will stop publishing in Portuguese and Japanese, and the tvsvizzera.it platform will also close.
The budget for Swissinfo will fall from 18.8 million to 10.5 million francs a year.
The SRG says the changes will eliminate about 22 full-time positions across its international services.
A media union says the cut conflicts with parliament’s position, while the Federal Office of Communications says the law gives the government authority to set the service’s scope and budget.
- Who
- The Swiss government and public broadcaster SRG. Swissinfo, part of SRG, is affected.
- What
- Funding cuts will end Swissinfo’s Portuguese and Japanese services and close tvsvizzera.it. About 22 full-time positions will be eliminated across the services.
- When
- The agreement takes effect on 1 January 2027 and covers 2027–2030.
- Where
- Switzerland’s international broadcasting and online services.
- Why
- The government approved a lower funding level for the international service. The Federal Office of Communications says the law allows the government and SRG to agree on the service’s scope and budget.
Swiss Media Union SSM
Federal Office of Communications
Parliament’s position
Swiss Media Union SSM
SSM says the cut conflicts with parliament’s decision in March against reducing the international service.
Federal Office of Communications
The office says the law was not changed by parliament and provides for the government and SRG to agree on the scope of the international service.
Decision process
Swiss Media Union SSM
SSM says the government is acting before parliament considers funding for 2027 in the winter session and that the decision should be corrected.
Federal Office of Communications
The office says the budget is set through the agreement process and the federal budget process; the law requires the federal government to cover at least half of the service’s costs.
Parliament opposed a reduction in the international service, according to the SSM.
The government approved the SRG agreement for the international service for 2027–2030.
The new agreement is due to take effect.
- Annual Swissinfo budget before cut
- 18.8 million francs
- Annual Swissinfo budget after cut
- 10.5 million francs
- Annual funding reduction
- 8.3 million francs
- Positions affected
- About 22 full-time positions
- Services ending
- Portuguese, Japanese and tvsvizzera.it
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inakzeptabel und müsse korrigiert werden
inakzeptabel und müsse korrigiert werden