Radio and TV license fee: Federal Council rejects SRG SSR initiative

SRG SSR requires sufficient financial resources to be able to provide equivalent journalistic services in all language regions. On this premise, the Federal Council rejects the federal initiative “200 francs is enough! (SRG SSR Initiative)” and proposes a gradual reduction in the radio and television fee charged to households as well as an increase in fee payment limit for businesses.
At its meeting on June 19, the Federal Council decided to reject the popular initiative “200 francs is enough! (SRG initiative),” which seeks to reduce the broadcasting fee for households from the current CHF 335 to CHF 200 while totally exempting businesses from the payment obligations. According to the Federal Council, this initiative is excessive, and SRG SSR needs adequate resources to deliver equivalent journalistic services across all language regions.
However, the Federal Council also wants to ease the financial burden on households and companies and thus proposes a progressive reduction in the broadcasting fee paid by households while increasing the fee payment limit for businesses. Households will see the fee reduced from CHF 335 to CHF 312 starting in 2027 and to CHF 300 in 2029. The payment limit for businesses will be increased from the current CHF 500’000 annual turnover to CHF 1.2 million from 2027. There will be no changes to the higher tariff categories.
The Federal Council’s dispatch will now go to Parliament.