Switzerland chooses to keep world’s highest TV licence fee

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Swiss voters have rejected a proposal to reduce the licence fee for the national broadcaster. The initiative was backed by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, who claimed that SRG was bloated and had a leftwing bias. Although the fee has been cut in recent years, it remains the highest in the world at £320. This funds 17 radio stations and seven TV channels in Switzerland’s four national languages. Nearly two-thirds of voters voted to keep the fee at its current level. Under Switzerland’s direct democracy model, citizens regularly decide on changes to laws and the constitution. Fans of the BBC might hesitate before supporting a UK vote. A 2022 poll found that 71% of Britons think the licence fee is bad value for money and 63% want it scrapped.