SRG: 270 million to be saved by 2029

Context

In brief

• SSR savings: 270 million CHF by 2029
• Executive cuts: over 20% at executive level
• SRF: minus 9.7 million and 38 jobs
• UEFA Champions League: end of live broadcasts from 2027/28

Key facts

Company: Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SSR) Project: Corporate transformation Enavant Savings target: 270 million francs by 2029 2027 savings: 80 million francs Reduction in executive positions: over 20% compared to 2024 SRF savings: 9.7 million francs by 2027 SRF jobs lost: 38 full-time by 2027 UEFA Champions League stop: from the 2027/2028 season

The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SSR), as part of its corporate transformation project called Enavant, outlined on Monday the savings measures planned for 2027. The Federal Council's decision to reduce the broadcasting licence fee obliges the SSR to cut around 270 million francs by 2029, with an initial tranche of 80 million to be achieved already by 2027. The savings strategy aims to safeguard the programme offered to the public, concentrating about 95% of the savings on structures, processes and production methods, as communicated last June.

The SSR is implementing a new organisational model, with the definition of the three highest management levels almost complete. At these levels, a reduction of over 20% in managerial positions is expected compared with the 2024 data. These streamlining measures will inevitably have repercussions on staff. Part of the reduction in jobs will be managed through natural fluctuation and retirements, applying the SSR's social plan for the affected employees.

Susanne Wille, SSR Director General, emphasised the commitment to the public: "We are committed to our public. For this reason we are implementing the political savings mandate, ensuring that the broadcasting licence fee benefits the programme as much as possible. To this end, we are also consistently questioning our structures: at the highest management levels we are reducing managerial positions by over 20%. At the same time, we protect the programme wherever possible." She added that these changes, although challenging for the company and its staff, are necessary to make the SSR more digital, efficient and agile, thereby ensuring a strong public service also in the future.

The further transformation and savings measures for the years 2028 and 2029 will be defined gradually across the various sectors and regions, following the financial planning. The SSR will continue to adapt, develop and renew its programme offering in the coming years.

SRF and its repercussions

Within SRF (Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen), savings of 9.7 million francs are expected by 2027, resulting in the elimination of 38 full-time positions. The savings measures will affect both television and radio programmes, covering all service units: news, culture, society and knowledge, and entertainment, as well as regional distribution. About half of the staff cuts will be implemented through natural fluctuation. Changes to the TV schedule will impact various programmes. Further savings are sought through closer cooperation between the language regions, reducing the costs of realisation and production of various formats.

Radio will also undergo adjustments. SRF will concentrate the broadcasts of weekly formats on the 40 weeks of the year with the greatest impact. During the summer months or holidays, reruns or music programs with hosts will be aired more frequently. The cultural broadcasters Radio SRF 2 Kultur, RTS Espace 2 and Rete Due are destined for closer collaboration in the medium term. For SRF Virus, the focus will shift mainly to digital platforms. According to SRF director Roger Elsener, the goal is to transform into a modern and digital media company capable of attracting a younger audience, with an offering increasingly oriented toward streaming and the Play+ platform. A significant change will concern sports rights: the SSR will no longer broadcast UEFA Champions League matches live starting with the 2027/2028 season.

These transformations are part of a broader restructuring plan aimed at modernizing the company and adapting it to the new needs of the media market, with particular attention to new generations of viewers and listeners. The SSR thus intends to consolidate its position as an essential provider of public services for Switzerland.

Operational details

The decisions announced by the SSR, although focused on internal reorganization and savings, carry practical implications that deserve thorough analysis, especially concerning public service and the offering aimed at the Swiss public. The reduction of the radio and television licence fee, imposed by the Federal Council, acts as a catalyst for these measures, forcing the SSR to undertake a deep review of its structures and processes. The stated objective of preserving programme quality, by concentrating cuts on organizational and productive aspects rather than editorial content, represents a complex challenge.

The 20% reduction in managerial positions at the top of the company signals a willingness to streamline the hierarchical structure and, potentially, to increase decision‑making efficiency. This, combined with the management of savings through natural fluctuation and retirements, aims to mitigate the direct social impact on employees, although the need for further measures in the future cannot be ruled out entirely. The SSR must balance the need for economic efficiency with the maintenance of a public‑service mandate that covers a wide range of interests and audience segments.

Impact on offering and consumption

The repercussions on programme offerings, in particular those announced for SRF, highlight a trend towards greater digitalization and a focus on streaming and digital platforms. The concentration of weekly radio formats to the 40 weeks of the year with the highest impact, and the broadcasting of repeats or music programmes during less strategic periods, suggests a rationalisation of resources devoted to radio production. This could lead to a reduced variety of original content in certain periods of the year, an aspect that regular listeners might notice.

The planned close collaboration between the cultural broadcasters of the different linguistic regions (Radio SRF 2 Kultur, RTS Espace 2 and Rete Due) is a sign of integration and potential synergy, aimed at optimising resources and creating a cross‑regional cultural offering. SRF Virus’s orientation towards digital platforms indicates a strategy targeting a younger audience that prefers on‑demand content accessible on mobile devices. This strategic shift reflects global trends in media consumption, but it could marginalise those who are not fully integrated into the digital world.

The renunciation of live broadcasting of UEFA Champions League matches starting with the 2027/2028 season is one of the most striking decisions. The acquisition of sports rights is an ever‑evolving and increasingly costly market. The SSR, like many public broadcasters in Europe, must contend with limited budgets and the need to prioritise investments. The decision to forego an event of such magnitude, although popular, frees resources that can be redirected towards other sectors considered priorities for public service, such as information or culture. This change will oblige football fans to seek alternatives to follow the competition, potentially on paid platforms or other channels not broadcast by the SSR. The SSR is therefore redefining its role and offering in a rapidly transforming media landscape, seeking a balance between financial sustainability, technological innovation and fulfilment of its public‑service mandate. Transparency about these decisions and their motivations will be crucial to maintain public trust.

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Key points

The transformation and savings measures announced by the SRG imply a series of changes that Swiss citizens, as taxpayers and users of radio and television services, should be aware of in order to understand their implications. The reduction in the radio and television license fee, decided by the Federal Council, is the starting point for the SRG's need to save 270 million francs by 2029, of which 80 million by 2027. This requires a rationalization of internal structures and processes.

For those working within the SSR, the main repercussions concern the reorganization of management levels, with a reduction of more than 20% of top positions. The staff reduction will be managed through natural fluctuation and retirements, with the application of the SRG social plan for the affected employees. As for SRF, 38 full-time jobs will be eliminated by 2027, with about half of the cuts handled through natural fluctuations.

What changes for viewers and listeners

From the point of view of the offering to the public, the most tangible changes will concern the schedule and programming. Some television programs may change or be scaled down. On the radio, SRF will concentrate the broadcasts of the weekly formats on the 40 weeks of the year with the greatest impact, using reruns or musical programs with hosts during the summer or holiday periods. Cultural broadcasters such as Radio SRF 2 Kultur, RTS Espace 2 and Rete Due will see greater integration, while SRF Virus will focus more on digital platforms.

One of the most significant news for sports fans is the SSR's decision to no longer broadcast live UEFA Champions League matches starting from the 2027/2028 season, due to the adjustment of sports rights. This means that to follow the main European football competition it will be necessary to turn to other platforms.

To better understand the economic and tax implications of changes in the Swiss media landscape, it is useful to consult tools that help you evaluate your income and related taxes. SSR, in its transformation journey, aims to become a more efficient and digital media company, capable of reaching a wider and more diversified audience, in line with the evolution of media consumption. Transparency on these decisions and communication of future strategies will be fundamental to maintaining a relationship of trust with the Swiss public. For those who wish to have an estimate of their net salary in Switzerland, considering the various taxes and contributions, it is possible to use an online calculator. Calcola il tuo stipendio netto

Source: rsi.ch