Observed Signal · May 7, 2026 · Policy Update · Source: persoenlich.com News · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
SRG Regional Body Demands Full Programming in New Concession
SRG Bern Freiburg Wallis adopted a resolution on 7 May 2026 calling on the Swiss federal government and parliament to ensure the SRG's next broadcasting concession (effective 1 January 2029) allows a comprehensive public-service offering. The regional body rejects proposals to limit SRG's remit to information, culture and education, and insists sport and entertainment must remain part of the constitutional service mandate because they build reach and national cohesion. The resolution also calls for stronger regional anchoring, preservation of language-regional diversity, sufficient financing including inflation adjustments from 2029, and opposes the creation of new supervisory bodies with expanded sanctioning powers beyond the existing ombuds office and the Independent Complaints Authority for Radio and Television (UBI).
Regional public-broadcaster policy position on the SRG concession is relevant to Swiss media and publishers but has limited direct impact on the global AdTech/MarTech ecosystem.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- SRG Bern Freiburg Wallis passed a resolution on 7 May 2026 regarding the SRG's future concession.
- The new SRG concession is planned to take effect on 2029-01-01.
- The regional body demands a full programme remit for SRG including sport and entertainment, rejecting a proposed restriction to information, culture and education.
- The resolution requests stronger regional anchoring, preservation of language-regional diversity, and adequate financing with inflation adjustment from 2029.
- The SRG Bern Freiburg Wallis explicitly rejects new control bodies with expanded sanction powers beyond the existing ombuds office and the Independent Complaints Authority for Radio and Television (UBI).
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Switzerland Begins Work on New SRG Concession
The Swiss Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (Uvek) has started work on a new concession for public broadcaster SRG. Uvek and SRG agreed a timetable at a June 1 meeting led by Bakom director Gianna Luzio; Uvek will hold further hearings with directly affected industries and stakeholders on topics including SRG’s online presence and its sports and entertainment offerings. The Federal Council (Bundesrat) is expected to adopt the new concession around mid‑2028, with the concession scheduled to take effect in 2029. A public consultation (Vernehmlassung) is planned for spring 2027. The process will build on framework principles set by the Bundesrat in 2022, emphasising SRG’s public‑service focus on information, education and culture and recognising SRG’s ongoing transformation and reform efforts.
Bakom study: SRG should get more online freedoms
The Swiss Federal Office of Communications (Bakom) published a country comparison on public-service online mandates, arguing that the SRG should receive more freedom online. The report, written by Sabrina Heiland and Manuel Puppis (University of Fribourg), compares Switzerland's neighbours, the UK, Belgium, Ireland and several Nordic states and finds that only Germany, Austria and Belgium impose notable restrictions on public broadcasters' online text offerings. Finland — not included in the report — recently limited Yle's standalone text publishing after a publishers' complaint to the European Commission. The authors recommend technology‑neutral remit definitions, a concession that requires technical innovation, and expanding SRG into a digital infrastructure or "Public Open Space." The Swiss public consultation on the new SRG concession is expected in spring 2027, with adoption likely mid‑2028.
SRG Files Application for FM (UKW) Frequencies
Swiss public broadcaster SRG has submitted an application to the Federal Office of Communications (Bakom) for FM (UKW) frequencies as part of its planned return to FM radio. SRG media spokesperson Nik Leuenberger confirmed the filing and said the broadcaster intends to resume FM transmission "as quickly as possible," but noted that a new broadcasting concession and contractual and technical conditions still need to be met. Bakom documentation indicates that the new radio concessions are intended to take effect from 2027, though concessions for stations that previously held frequencies could be granted earlier. SRG had switched off FM distribution at the end of 2024 and decided to return after the Swiss parliament postponed the nationwide FM shutdown that had been planned for the end of 2026.
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