Mass media in Switzerland

With its four national languages, its cultural diversity and economical status, Switzerland has long had one of the best developed and most complete mass media sectors in Europe.^[1][2]

Still, due to its small territorial size, it is strongly influenced by the media of larger bordering countries, with foreign journals, radios and televisions popular throughout the country.^[3] The broadcasting sector is dominated by the SRG SSR, subsidized by the federal government,^[4][5] while the printed press is free of governmental involvement.

Switzerland was ranked tenth in 2021 in the annual "Worldwide press freedom ranking of countries" published by Reporters Without Borders.^[6][7]

Print

Main article: List of newspapers in Switzerland

Radio

Main article: List of radio stations in Switzerland

Television

Main article: Television in Switzerland

Internet

• Swissinfo (swissinfo.ch) is a ten-language news and information platform produced by the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation.
• SWITCH Information Technology Services
• Swiss Internet Exchange
• Swiss Media
• Swiss media company based in Switzerland
• www.switzerlandinsound.com English-Language audio features

Controversies

Freedom of press

See also: Banking in Switzerland § Controversies, and Suisse secrets

Since leaking financial data is a criminal offense in Switzerland (even if it is in the public interest) ^[8] punishable with up to five years in jail, Swiss media argued in February 2022 that the banking secrecy law runs contrary to freedom of speech and freedom of the press in some cases.^[9][10] In 2022, the United Nations Human Rights Council has asked for a better protection of journalists and whistleblowers in this regard.^[11]

See also

• Journalism in Switzerland (in German)

Bibliography

• Euromedia Research Group; Mary Kelly; et al., eds. (2004). "Switzerland". Media in Europe (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications. ISBN 978-0-7619-4132-3.

External links

• Switzerland Profile: Media, BBC News, 11 December 2018
• "Media Landscapes: Switzerland", Medialandscapes.org, Netherlands: European Journalism Centre

References

1. Qualität der Medien 2019 (PDF) (in German) (Jubiläumsausgabe ed.). Schwabe Verlag Basel. 14 October 2019. ISBN 9783796540899. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
2. Russ-Mohl, Stephan (3 January 2020). "Wie viel Medienpatriotismus braucht das Land?". www.tagesspiegel.de (in German). Retrieved 19 March 2020.
3. Emil Egli; Aubrey Diem; Daniel Wachter. "Switzerland - Cultural institutions". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
4. "Media subsidies: Current position and recommendations for the future" (PDF). Federal Media Commission FMEC. 7 August 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
5. Wartburg, Reto Gysi von (7 February 2018). "How the world's countries provide public media". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
6. "2021 World Press Freedom Index". Reporters Without Borders. 30 January 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
7. Misicka, Susan (18 April 2019). "Swiss press freedom under threat from cuts". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
8. "Swiss parliamentarians refuse to overhaul banking secrecy laws". 7 May 2022.
9. Matthew Allen. "Swiss banking secrecy law clashes with freedom of speech". Retrieved 2022-03-05.
10. "UN rapporteur calls out Switzerland for 'criminalisation of journalism'". 3 May 2022.
11. Dupraz-Dobias, Paula (23 June 2022). "Swiss press freedom under scrutiny at the United Nations". Swissinfo. Archived from the original on 16 November 2022.