Swiss TV news on computer

Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Switzerland’s federal communications office (Ofcom) director, Martin Dumermuth, told the Berner Zeitung newspaper Thursday that he plans to propose in January a change to the current license fee regulations. Owners of television sets and radios are subject to fees, but Dumermuth would like to include computer and cell phone owners. He was quick to point out that the goal is not to increase license fee revenue: the same amount would be collected, but spread among a larger group, reducing the fee for each type of equipment.

The license fee would be charged to everyone, whether they watch TV or radio or not. People who own TV sets or radios but who do not use them are now obliged to pay the fee, so the extension to computer and cell phone owners would not be a change in that policy, Dumermuth says.

The collection of the license fee has been under discussion by legislators, with proposals to have electricity companies collect it, or to include it in the federal income tax, but Dumermuth says both of these would cost more than keeping a central payment system. Billag serves that purpose today. It has a fleet of inspectors whose job it is to detect radios and TVs in  homes. Including computers would eliminate the need for inspectors, Dumermuth implies but it is unclear how Billag would determine who exactly has cell phones and computers.

Dumermuth plans to put his proposal to the Swiss Federal Council, which would then ask parliament to develop the  necessary legislation, if it approves Ofcom’s proposal.

Links to other sites: Berner Zeitung (Ger), 24 Heures (Fre)

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