Finance ministry backs swiss info budget cuts

[khurramdar]

Finance ministry backs swiss info budget cuts


February 25th, 2010


Government funding for swissinfo.ch would be cut as part of budget proposals for 2011-2013, the finance ministry has confirmed. Financial subsidies to the multimedia internet portal swissinfo.ch would go as part of SFr130 million ($121 million) in savings planned by the federal authorities. The plans will have to be confirmed by the cabinet in June and would need to go before parliament.

Today’s announcement followed a special budget meeting by the cabinet, which is looking to shave SFr2.7 billion from Switzerland’s national budget as of 2015. It is the second time in less than ten years that swissinfo.ch is facing potential financial cuts. Its budget was reduced to SFr26 million from SFr44 million and included job losses and the abolition of shortwave radio broadcasts.

The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, swissinfo.ch’s parent company - and the country’s largest media organisation - also announced on Thursday that 100 full-time jobs would go by 2014 across the board in order to save SFr17 million in 2011 and SFr33 million in 2014. The cuts would affect staff in administration, marketing, finance, personnel and IT, but were expected to be phased over several years and include natural wastage.