Music Council concerned about cultural radio
The Swiss Music Council has noted with great concern the SRG's presumed plans to abandon the cultural channels SRF 2 Kultur, Espace 2 and Rete Due.
In an official statement, the Music Council expects culture - and cultural reporting in particular - to remain a core mandate of SRG. The current discussion about the future of SRF 2 Kultur is irritating and comes at a sensitive time. The SRG halving initiative was clearly rejected by the population. This result is also a clear commitment to the importance of culture, information and education in the public service.
The Swiss Music Council states: A reduction in the area of culture - particularly in central channels such as SRF 2 Kultur, Espace 2 and Rete Due - would substantially weaken Switzerland's cultural infrastructure and contradict the clear result of the vote. SRF 2 Kultur is a central media platform for music and culture in Switzerland - for artistic production, mediation, critical classification and public debate. The broadcaster fulfills an indispensable function, especially for those areas that hardly find a place in the commercial environment.
The Music Council sees culture as part of the public service with a clear social mission: it provides orientation, enables reflection and makes a significant contribution to a country's cultural identity. This is particularly true for minorities, for challenging formats and for those voices that would otherwise hardly be heard.
Link: musikrat.ch
