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Swiss reject right-wing plan to cut licence fee for public broadcaster

BBC News·@Bbc·2 months ago
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Swiss voters have rejected an initiative to sharply reduce the annual licence fee to the national broadcaster, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). The fee, which has already been cut in recent years, currently costs 335 Swiss francs (£320; $435) per household a year. The initiative, backed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party, had called for the fee to be cut to 200 francs (£190; $260), annually, with businesses exempt. But the proposal was defeated in Sunday's referendum, gaining only 38% support, with 62% voting to keep the licence fee at the current levels. The Swiss People's Party had argued that the fee was too high, given the rise in the cost of living. The licence fee in Switzerland is more than in neighbouring countries such as Austria or Germany. The government and all other parliamentary parties opposed the move. They argued that the licence fee was key to ensuring that Switzerland's four languages - French, German, Italian and Romantsch - were properly represented.…

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