SUISA members sign off on resolution for a strong public service

Around 300 music professionals, along with guests from the music industry, professional associations and the world of politics, took part in today’s SUISA general meeting at Kaufleuten in Zurich. SUISA is Switzerland’s and Liechtenstein’s Cooperative Society of Music Authors and Publishers, and the general meeting is its highest governing body. The members of SUISA – composers, lyricists and publishers of music in Switzerland and Liechtenstein – threw their weight behind reception fee-financed TV and radio broadcasters at the meeting. A resolution asks Swiss members of Parliament to keep in mind the role of reception fee-financed broadcasters and to maintain their position in the debate over the ‘No Billag’ (no radio and television fees) initiative and attempts to restrict the SRG SSR.

Swiss musicians warn of destruction of reception fee-financed media
For Swiss music professionals, these broadcasters are absolutely vital. The broadcasters discover their music and offer them an important platform. Reception fee-financed broadcasters fulfil a public service mandate which includes entertainment, music and culture. SRG broadcasters, in particular, distribute every genre of music, 20% of which is Swiss. This figure is twice that of private broadcasters.

Very strong annual results for SUISA
At the general meeting, the SUISA members present endorsed the cooperative’s 2016 annual accounts. Last year, SUISA achieved the best result in its history, and is now able to distribute CHF 128.9 million to compo-ers, lyricists and music publishers. Thanks to a favourable 12.37% cost coverage deduction for settlements to rightsholders, SUISA is now able to distribute around CHF 88 of every 100 to composers, lyricists and music publishers.

The general assembly elected Jonas Zellweger, a Zurich-based composer and orchestrator of film and advertising music, to the Distribution and Works Committee (VWK) in a by-election. He replaces Alexander Kirschner, who is stepping down early. The VWK is made up of SUISA members and is primarily involved with questions of the distribution of SUISA revenues.

Polo Hofer receives the FONDATION SUISA prize
In addition, the FONDATION SUISA, SUISA’s foundation for music promotion, honoured the Bernese dialect rock musician Polo Hofer with its prize. The prize is worth CHF 20,000 and was awarded in the category ‘Lyricists of musical works’ this year. Polo Hofer’s wife, Alice Hofer, received the prize.

SUISA’s Annual Report 2016 is available online: www.suisa.ch/en/suis/annualreport

A commentary on SUISA’s Annual Report is available on the SUISAblog: Commentary on SUISA’s annual results for 2016

Further information about the FONDATION SUISA's prize can be found at:
https://www.fondation-suisa.ch/en
   
Further information:

Giorgio Tebaldi
Head of Communications SUISA
Tel. +41 44 485 65 03 / +41 79 292 22 42
E-mail: giorgio.tebaldi@suisa.ch

About SUISA
SUISA is the cooperative society for composers, lyricists and music publishers in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Its 36,000 members represent all musical walks of life. SUISA represents the world music repertoire of two million authors in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It licenses the use of this world repertoire to over 90,000customers. In 2017, SUISA and SESAC, a US music rights organisation, established Mint Digital Services in joint venture. Mint Digital Services is responsible for the accounting and management of the transnational music licensing activities of SESAC and its subsidiary The Harry Fox Agency, and for SUISA's business with online providers; the joint venture company also provides services for publishers.

SUISA employs a staff of 200 in its offices in Zurich, Lausanne and Lugano and realises an annual turnover of over CHF 154 million. As a not-for-profit organisation, SUISA distributes its licensing revenues, net of a cost coverage deduction, to music authors and publishers.