Hands off the special interest radio stations
If the SRG's special-interest channels were abolished, as demanded by the National Council's Committee for Transport and Telecommunications, the income of Swiss musicians would be reduced by around CHF 1.5 million. An online petition is collecting signatures against this proposal.
In mid-February, the Media Commission of the National Council, headed by its President Nathalie Rickli, published a Motion proposed abolishing the SRG's special-interest radio stations (Radio Swiss Jazz, Radio Swiss Classic, Radio Swiss Pop, Virus, Musikwelle and Option Music).
Music associations are fighting back. The Swiss Music Syndicate together with Music Creators Switzerland published a press release at the beginning of March entitled Closure of special interest channels: Great damage, no savings. According to the press release, the special-interest radio stations "contribute significantly to the success of Swiss music", as the SRG's special-interest radio stations play much more Swiss music than commercial private radio stations. Over 1.5 million Swiss francs in copyright royalties are paid to local artists. The Swiss Recording Artists' Association, the Swiss Musicians' Association, Helvetiarockt, IndieSuisse, IFPI, the Swiss Performers' Cooperative and the Swiss Music Council are among the signatories.
Now Urs Wäckerli (Lebewohlfabrik Zurich), Adrian Keller (Jazztime), Christian Rentsch (author of the petition and journalist), Anders Stokholm (initiator) and Peewee Windmüller (Jazz'n'more) the online petition Hands off the special interest radio stations! which, according to the website, "asks the responsible committees in the Federal Parliament to refrain from closing these special-interest channels."
Information on the petition and how to sign it can be found here:
https://prospartenradio.jimdo.com
The petition can also be signed directly here:
https://www.petitionen24.com/hande_weg_von_den_spartenradios
