The obligation to broadcast certain television programme services (must-carry channels) in the analogue services on cable networks is being phased out. Because the vast majority of the Swiss population use digital services, the broadcasting obligation will be limited to digital services from 2015. The amended Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) Ordinance enters into force on 1 June 2013.

The Confederation is taking a new step in relation to managing the new top-level domain name .swiss. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the corporation responsible for managing domain names worldwide, has deemed that the Swiss candidature meets the requirements. The implementation phase can now begin. The first .swiss domain names could be registered by the autumn of 2014.

The Federal Council has appointed the members of the Federal Media Commission. 13 representatives from various areas of the Swiss media sector will take a seat on the Commission. In the process, the Federal Council ensured appropriate gender and language region representation. The Media Commission is chaired by Professor Otfried Jarren of Zurich University, appointed by the Federal Council in November 2012. The new Media Commission members will take up their duties in summer 2013.

The ombudscom Foundation will continue to operate the official dispute resolution service for the telecommunications industry prescribed in the Telecommunications Act. The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) has concluded a new contract with the Foundation extending over a period of five years, from 1 July 2013 until 30 June 2018.

In order to determine the requirements for additional frequencies for digital broadcasting of radio stations in DAB+ format, the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) is launching a survey of demand. It is aimed at companies who would like to construct and operate language-regional, regional, or local DAB+ networks in Switzerland.

The Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) is awarding the licence for a local radio station in south-east Switzerland to Südostschweiz Radio/TV AG and its station Radio Grischa. In accordance with a ruling of the Federal Administrative Court in December 2009, DETEC clarified whether licensing Radio Grischa would lead to a threat to freedom of expression and to the diversity of offerings in south-eastern Switzerland. After a thorough review, DETEC has concluded that this is not the case. The Department therefore confirms its 2008 licensing decision in favour of Radio Grischa.

Domain names for the internet are central to our everyday digital life. In order to enable the Confederation to adequately represent the interests of Switzerland on the global market, the Federal Council has adopted a strategy. Attractive domain names should always be sufficiently and reliably available and must be managed transparently.

For the population, the public authorities and network operators: the new, interactive broadband map shows the modern telecom network coverage situation in Switzerland. The cooperative project of the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) and the network operators is available via an internet portal which provides further information about fast data networks.

The Federal Council has lifted the broadcasting restriction on regional television pro-gramme services. As a result, these programme services can in future be broadcast by wire in digital format outside their allocated coverage areas.

Local and regional newspapers with an entitlement to discounted transport will benefit from a CHF 0.22 delivery reduction per copy from the Swiss Post for the year 2013. The corresponding reduction for subscription publications and foundations' publications is CHF 0.15. The Federal Council has approved both amounts as part of its indirect support for the press, for which the Confederation has allocated an annual budget of CHF 50 million.