Swiss voters consider public aid plan for newspapers, media

GENEVA — It’s a widespread lament: Conventional newspapers, particularly small native ones, and different media shops have seen subscriptions dry up as worldwide web behemoths have swooped in in the marketplace for ads that lengthy helped every day, weekly and month-to-month publications survive.

In Switzerland, the federal government has laid out plans to assist. Swiss voters get closing say Sunday in what polls have recommended is changing into an more and more tight contest.

Voters had been casting ballots on the federal government’s plan, handed in June, to inject greater than 150 million francs (about $163 million) into broadcast and print media yearly, together with — in a primary — assist early-morning newspaper supply and on-line media to the tune of 70 million francs (practically $76 million) yearly.

Opponents of the plan pulled collectively sufficient signatures in a petition drive to place the problem earlier than the general public, a part of Switzerland’s specific type of democracy that provides voters within the nation of 8.5 million a direct say in policymaking a number of instances a yr.

Foes of the plan say the money injection would waste taxpayer cash, profit huge newspaper chains and the media moguls who run them and harm journalistic independence — by making media shops extra depending on state handouts and thus much less more likely to criticize public officers. In addition they say it’s discriminatory: Free newspapers, for instance, wouldn’t profit.

“A media backed by the state is a media beneath management. Because the adage goes: ‘Don’t bit the hand that feeds you,’” wrote the opponents who pressed for the referendum. They are saying huge print-media teams collectively took in additional than 300 million in earnings in 2020, even throughout the COVID-19 disaster.

Many different international locations in Europe and past supply assist to newspapers reminiscent of by means of postal payment reductions, tax breaks and different measures.

Supporters of the money injection counter that journalism, particularly in native areas which have been ill-served by huge media teams, ought to be thought of a public service, as are many public radio and tv broadcasters in Switzerland, round Europe.

“Media teams are combating to outlive. Advert revenues for print press haven’t stopped declining or are getting swallowed up by giants like Fb and Google, and subscriptions aren’t sufficient,” wrote the Swiss Inexperienced celebration, which helps the measure.

The brand new cash would principally go towards subsidies or tax breaks on distribution of print media, coaching for journalists, and assist for information businesses in Switzerland. A few of the funds would go publications by associations or non-governmental teams like Swiss-based WWF or the nation’s best-known vehicle affiliation.

Proponents insist that newspapers in Switzerland need assistance, saying greater than 70 have disappeared since 2003. Promoting income in all print publications plunged 42% between 2016-2020 in Switzerland.

Some 30 million francs would go to on-line publications to assist be certain that readers can get native information by means of the web.

The media subsidy measure is certainly one of 4 points on ballots nationwide on Sunday. One other considers a authorities plan to eradicate some legacy charges on firms — and primarily granting them a tax break. Yet one more goals to restrict promoting for tobacco merchandise in areas frequented by kids.

A fourth difficulty would ban use of animals and folks in exams, with some exceptions – passage of which may have main implications for each imports of some merchandise and analysis in Switzerland’s much-vaunted pharmaceutical trade.