Summary

The Federal Office of Communications BAKOM published on June 1, 2026 a program analysis showing that in 2025, for the first time all licensed regional television stations have fully met the statutory minimum requirements for local information. The 13 television broadcasters aired an average of 5 hours and 12 minutes of content per week – more than double the prescribed 150 minutes. Already in 2024, all local radio stations had exceeded this requirement. This means that for the first time since analyses began in 2020, all licensed radio and television stations are fully meeting their licensing obligations.

Persons

  • Federal Office of Communications BAKOM (regulatory authority)

Topics

  • Media regulation in Switzerland
  • Local and regional media
  • Licensing requirements
  • Program quality and diversity

Clarus Lead

The full compliance with information requirements by all licensed media marks a turning point in the Swiss media landscape: After six years of systematic monitoring, it is evident that BAKOM's regulatory requirements are effective and consistently implemented by operators. This is relevant for media policy and fee-based financing, as it strengthens the legitimacy of the radio and television fee and answers questions about the efficiency of regulatory mechanisms.

Detailed Summary

The program analysis was conducted by Publicom AG on behalf of BAKOM and is based on 2025 data. The 13 television broadcasters examined significantly exceed the minimum requirement: with an average of 312 minutes per week, they broadcast more than double the required 150 minutes of local and regional information. This average value demonstrates consistent compliance across all broadcasters.

The development since 2020 reveals a progressive fulfillment pattern: while all local radio stations already met the requirement in 2024, all regional television stations now follow suit in 2025. The license, which is tied to receiving funds from the radio and television fee, obligates operators to broadcast this minimum quota. The repeated over-fulfillment suggests that local media do not merely formally meet the informational mandate, but have anchored it as a core business model.

Key Statements

  • First time in 2025: All licensed regional and local media meet statutory information requirements
  • Television broadcasters aired an average of 312 minutes per week (twice as much as required)
  • Systematic BAKOM monitoring since 2020 demonstrates the effectiveness of regulatory mechanisms

Critical Questions

  1. Data Quality: How does the program analysis precisely define "relevant local or regional information," and have these criteria been uniformly applied across all 13 broadcasters?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: To what extent could the dependence of local media on the radio and television fee lead to over-fulfillment in order to avoid budget cuts, rather than reflecting genuine editorial priorities?

  3. Causality: Can one conclude from the over-fulfillment that regulation is effective, or could other factors (market pressure, competition from online media) be driving investments in local information?

  4. Feasibility: How is the quality and relevance of this content verified – or does the analysis only measure broadcast time, not information value?

  5. Side Effects: Could strict minute-based requirements lead to prioritizing quantity over quality, or disproportionately burden smaller broadcasters?

Source Directory

Primary Source: Federal Office of Communications BAKOM – Program Analysis 2025 (published 01.06.2026) https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/UtV-SCFNYEuwQCETI4ot3

Verification Status: ✓ 01.06.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 01.06.2026