Schmidt emphasized the dramatic impact of existential budget cuts on reliable journalism, noting the challenges they pose to the future of journalism and the integrity of the news. Similarly, Schiedermair emphasized the importance of independent media reporting as a crucial stabilizing factor for democracy. She also pointed out that information on digital platforms is merely a commercial commodity; therefore, it does not matter whether the information is right or wrong as long as it generates clicks. This is contrary to democratic discourse, which relies on valid information as an information source for citizens who will elect their governments, as well as for governmental institutions, in order to make balanced decisions based on reality.

Litschka saw a misunderstanding in the population: many people would not yet realise that media quality cannot be financed by the market. Puppis considered it absurd that we are actually discussing what public broadcasting is allowed to do online in 2026. He argued that the real issue is the platforms owned by Chinese or American companies, which decide what can and cannot be said in public. On 8 March, Swiss voters decided for the second time against funding cuts to their public broadcasting service. Following the ‘No Billag’ initiative to completely abolish licence fees in 2018 – which was rejected by a large majority – a halving initiative was now being put to the vote in Switzerland, which would mean the end of the SRG in its current form. Even though the SRG initiative was rejected, cuts are inevitable and will have far-reaching consequences.

Beregoi, who advises the European Broadcasting Union on central projects relating to transformation and reform, also took a critical view of the consequences of the budget cuts: "The budget cuts not only reduce the quality of the product, but also the ambitions of the journalists. It is a cut in the budget for creating value – public value. Because we can say that public service broadcasting is part of the democratic infrastructure, just like schools and roads.“

About Stephanie Schiedermair

Stephanie Schiedermair holds the Chair for European Law & Public International Law in Leipzig and is the Director of the Institute for Public International Law. In SECAI, Schiedermair is working on the legal framework for the media to preserve democracy under new conditions of communication. Actual projects concern the use of AI under the rule of law; the use of AI within the judiciary; hate speech; fake news and the media as public watchdog. Schiedermair is also an expert member of the German Commission for the Funding of Public Broadcasting (KEF).