The grey morning in Zurich had a somber atmosphere, as if the city itself was tired of everything. And then the news broke: the Swiss Radio and Television (SRF) will continue to cut costs. By the end of 2026, the organization aims to save nearly eight million francs, with 50 full-time positions to be cut by the end of next year.
The first major cut is the summer shutdown of “Glanz & Gloria”, a long-standing fixture of SRF’s identity, which will fall victim to the “strategic reorientation”. The cuts, however, are not limited to this one program and will also affect technology and other areas.
SRF Director Nathalie Wappler attempted to calm the situation, stating that the budget must be balanced and the digital transformation must be accelerated. The cuts, she claimed, were “carefully prepared” and originally planned for 2026, but the current situation demands a faster pace.
The question remains: what is the purpose of these cuts?
Starting in August, SRF will shift its focus to the main evening broadcast from 19:00, with viewers seeing fewer Swiss productions and more foreign content. Between 18:00 and 19:00, “Mini Chuchi, dini Chuchi” and a “Newsflash” will be aired, along with foreign formats.
In essence, this means less of the original content and less surprise, in favor of content that can be easily sold for streaming.
Even on Saturday evenings, the red pen will be used: “SRF bi de Lüt”? Live broadcasts will be cut. “Swiss Comedy Awards”? Gone. “Landfrauenküche” and “Hüttengeschichten”? For the time being, they are spared.
Even on the SRF website and in the apps, the pruning will continue: “ineffective content”, or content that does not generate enough clicks, will be reduced.
Radio programs will also be affected, with longer spoken segments being cut short. On Radio SRF 1, the afternoon drama will disappear and the business magazine “Trend” will be axed.
Radio SRF 2 Kultur will lose several formats, including the science magazine, “Kontext” and “Passage” – all gone.
On Radio SRF 4 News, live moderation will cease between 9:30 and 12:00 and music fans will have to make do with less funding for “Hitparade” and “Sounds!” on Radio SRF 3, with the podcast “Sounds! Zentrale” being discontinued.
And Radio SRF Virus? It will allegedly work more closely with other offerings for young people – whatever that means.
Wappler promises to minimize layoffs through natural fluctuation.
The departure of “Glanz & Gloria” has sparked discontent: the Swiss cultural scene is losing a platform that was crucial in times of media change.
The SRF transformation is part of a larger trend: classic TV formats are losing importance and streaming and digital offerings are becoming more significant.
Whether this strategy will help SRF or push the organization into the sidelines remains to be seen. One thing is certain, however: the times when SRF stood for diversity and journalistic depth are behind us.