Swiss Voters Reject Public Broadcaster Funding Cuts

Swiss voters have rejected a referendum proposing to reduce public broadcaster SRG's funding. The vote saw 62% oppose cutting the licence fee, a move critics warned could weaken media and spread disinformation. Proponents claimed the fee was too high, while opponents stressed the importance of reliable media.

In a decisive move on Sunday, Swiss voters rejected a referendum aimed at slashing public broadcaster SRG's funding, with early projections indicating that 62% opposed the effort to cut the annual licence fee.

The campaign, driven largely by right-wing groups like the Swiss People's Party (SVP), sought to reduce the fee from 335 to 200 Swiss francs, labeling SRG as politically biased and financially bloated.

Opponents cautioned that reduced funding would weaken media output and increase disinformation, celebrating the vote as a win for media reliability. SRG Director General Susanne Wille assured continued high-quality programming.