Switzerland

[CH] Foreign Advertising Window Unwelcome

IRIS 2001-9:1/13

Oliver Sidler

Medialex

The Bundesamt für Kommunikation (Federal Communications Office - BAKOM) has declared that plans by French TV channel M6 to broadcast a Swiss advertising window are "unwelcome" as far as Swiss media policy is concerned. The BAKOM estimates that the Swiss media sector loses around CHF 107 million in advertising revenue each year because of advertising windows already operating on German TV channels. In the Frenchspeaking areas, it is reckoned that a Swiss advertising window broadcast by M6 could deprive the public broadcaster Télévision Suisse romande of advertising revenue worth approximately CHF 10-12 million.

The Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (French broadcasting authority - CSA) has promised the BAKOM that it will only award licences to French broadcasters if Switzerland agrees to this kind of advertising window. However, the BAKOM will strongly oppose this project and, if necessary, order the cable networks not to carry the channel concerned.