Keystone-SDA
SSR director Susanne Wille defends her media company’s sports and entertainment offerings in the press. According to her, these areas are important because entertainment also informs and sport brings people together.
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December 15, 2024 – 01:58
(Keystone-ATS) Thus, the Olympic Games have reached a market share of more than 40% among young people, declared Ms. Wille in an interview broadcast on Saturday on the online site of the SonntagsZeitung and in Le Matin Dimanche. “And reporting on football or skiing ensures that other sports also receive more attention.”
It is difficult to reach the general public with news broadcasts alone, she points out. But the SSR will receive a new concession from 2029 and these questions will then have to be clarified within the framework of the negotiations, she adds.
Removal of pending positions
The reduction in the fee from 335 to 300 francs by 2029 is, however, recorded, she continues. Wishing to build a good and strong SSR within the new financial framework, she describes the Federal Council’s decision as an “entrepreneurial mission”.
Basically, there are still many open questions about how the CHF 270 million savings program could be implemented, notes the director. This amount corresponds to 1,000 full-time positions, “but it is not serious to articulate such a number at the moment” of job cuts.
She says she is looking for solutions that will result in fewer layoffs. Just stopping FM can save 15 million francs, she explains, stressing that it is also possible to consolidate IT services.
In any case, the vote of no confidence in the RTS management council, supported by 80% of employees, will not prevent the process from continuing, adds the manager. She says she has “full confidence” with the RTS management committee “to carry out the transformation”. However, she considers it important to “include” employees in decisions, especially since they “are difficult”.
New platform
Regarding the “200 francs is enough!” initiative. », Ms Wille notes that 83% of the population uses an SSR offer every week and half among young people. This is the strongest response, she believes.
The director says she is certain that the SSR will continue to be necessary even in the era of streaming providers, because its programs tell stories from Switzerland. “As people consume more and more offline and digitally, the company is in the process of implementing a new central platform.”
Susanne Wille also says she is convinced that the SRG and private providers are both necessary for a strong Swiss media position. “The SSR needs strong private players. If the SSR found itself weakened, the money would instead go to the big American technology groups.”
