Media Regulation in Switzerland Since 1945

The federalist, multilingual, and direct-democratic small state of Switzerland regulated the media hesitantly, with delay and always in reaction to developments abroad. The constitutional basis for radio and television only came about after three attempts. A kind of “dual broadcasting” was only made possible when foreign commercial stations had long since had a considerable market share in Switzerland, so that there was little growth potential for domestic private broadcasters. A press subsidy to ensure diversity failed twice. While internet regulation is in its infancy, other media (such as books, films, or outdoor advertising) have been regulated only cautiously or not at all. The focus is on promotional measures. The complaints procedure against media content is remarkable but still far from ideal. Only the media crisis triggered new initiatives. What is also being discussed is what the public service of public radio and television (SRG) should comprise. And it is being discussed whether a state-independent but state-supported foundation for media promotion should be established.