Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR)
The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, known as SRG SSR, embodies Switzerland’s public-service ethos through its federalist, multilingual framework. Established in 1931 and based in Bern, the association comprises five broadcast entities: Radiotelevisione svizzera (RSI) — Italian-language services; Radiotelevisiun Svizra Rumantscha (RTR) — Romansh-language services; Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS) — French-language services; Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) — German-language services; SWI swissinfo.ch — multilingual news platform in 10 languages.
SRG SSR has a portfolio of 26 radio and television channels. Founded in 1931, the company is headquartered in Bern, the capital of Switzerland.
Media assets
Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF): Television: SRF 1, SRF zwei, SRF info; Radio: Radio SRF 1, Radio SRF 2 Kultur, Radio SRF 3, Radio SRF 4 News, Radio SRF Musikwelle, Radio SRF Virus
Radiotelevisione svizzera di lingua italiana (RSI): Television: RSI La 1, RSI La 2; Radio: RSI Rete Uno, RSI Rete Due, RSI Rete Tre
Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS): Television: RTS 1, RTS 2, RTS Info; Radio: La 1ère, Espace 2, Couleur 3, Option Musique
Radiotelevisiun Svizra Rumantscha (RTR): Televisiun Rumantscha (TvR); Radio Rumantsch; Swiss Info
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
SRG SSR is organized as a non‑profit association comprising four regional companies and approximately 22,500 members who hold the broadcaster to account and represent public interests across linguistic regions. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in media. These regional companies influence content by conveying their audiences’ concerns, as guided by the SRG SSR Statute.
The Delegates’ Assembly is the highest governing body and includes 41 members: delegates from the four regional companies, three Board members elected by the Assembly, and two appointed by the Federal Council. The Board of Directors, which overlaps with this Assembly, and the Executive Board—comprising the Director General, Directors for Development and Offering, Operations, Finance, and the heads of RSI, RTR, RTS, and SRF—form the station’s top decision‑making structure. Each regional company also maintains a public council, and an independent ombudsman’s office handles viewer and listener complaints.
In May 2024, the Board elected Susanne Wille as the new Director General, succeeding Gilles Marchand; she officially took office in November 2024.
Source of funding and budget
SRG SSR receives about 83 % of its revenue from the household media levy (“license fee”), 13 % from commercial revenue, and 4 % from other income sources. Its annual turnover was around CHF 1.56 billion as of May 2025.
In 2024, SRG received CHF 1.25 billion in fee revenue covering 2025–2026. Previously reported budgets include CHF 1.51 bn in 2021, CHF 1.57 bn in 2022, and CHF 1.54 bn in 2023.
SRG SSR is undergoing a major transformation under the company‑wide initiative “Enavant SRG SSR”, led by the Board and Director General, to become more digital, leaner, and agile while preserving regional presence. Starting early 2026, this initiative will streamline functions such as HR, finance, and IT by pooling resources across regional entities to protect journalism despite a shrinking budget.
This reorganization follows the Federal Council’s decision to reduce the media levy in two steps—from CHF 335 to CHF 300—by 2029. The combination of fee reduction, inflation, and declining ad revenues may necessitate savings of approximately 17 % (~CHF 270 million) by 2029, including CHF 215 million by early 2027. Due to these financial pressures, SRG SSR has also decided to downsize its sports production, including refraining from bidding on future National League (ice hockey) and UEFA club competition broadcast rights, citing unavoidable redundancies.
Editorial independence
There are no government-imposed requirements for positive editorial coverage. Editorial independence is safeguarded by the Federal Constitution and the SRG SSR Charter. The public councils and the ombudsman reinforce this autonomy by facilitating public input and addressing editorial concerns.
August 2025