Public service radio and television play a crucial role in a democracy. Even more so in an age of social networks, rumours and conspiracy theories: information is not a commodity like any other. Pascal Crittin, director of Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS), explains why.
Pascal Crittin has a degree in Literature and Musicology from the University of Fribourg. Initially Director of Editions St-Augustin, he became familiar with the media market and the field of communication. In 2002, he was appointed Head of the Espace 2 radio programme (public service), where his task was to develop the cohesion of the cultural and musical offer. From 2008 to 2009, Pascal Crittin was Secretary General of RSR (Radio Suisse Romande) before heading the General Affairs Department of RTS. In April 2017, Pascal Crittin was appointed Director General of RTS in a context of political turmoil surrounding the status of public broadcasting, less than a year before the “No Billag” popular initiative.
Switzerland was the first country in the world to introduce the possibility of abolishing payment of public service broadcasting licence fees in a popular vote on 4 March 2018. Billag was at that time the name of the private service provider in charge of collecting the licence fee from the public broadcaster. The popular initiative, known as “No Billag”, not only called into question the cost of the licence fee but also its principle. It was finally rejected by the voters, at 71.6%. In the Swiss democracy, the “popular initiative” is a possibility for any citizen to launch a bill, provided that it complies with the conditions stipulated in the constitution.