World Radio Switzerland - History

History

In the late 1980s, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) decided that an English-language radio station in Geneva would enhance its international reputation and provide a useful service to the international organizations established in the city. To that end, the SBC applied to the Federal Office of Communications for an FM frequency. The first application, made in 1992, was rejected. The application was resubmitted in 1995 and then granted. However, by that time the Federal Office of Communications made it clear that all new radio stations had to be commercial.

World Radio Geneva began broadcasting on 25 June 1996 and officially ended on 12 October 2007 after a change in the law integrated the radio station into the Swiss public service. World Radio Switzerland launched on 5 November 2007 as a public service broadcaster, available on digital radio across Switzerland.

WRS "brings Switzerland to the world and the world to Switzerland," according to a mission statement. "We provide a unique mix of news, information, music and intelligent conversation," it says. "We always look for the highest common denominator. This is not being elitist. Just smart." The document adds that WRS provides radio for the "Anglosphere," a home for Anglophones, anglophiles and "Anglo-professionals" living in Switzerland. The station offers content that is "understandable, meaningful and useful to our listeners" and serves as a "knowledge center about Switzerland".

An online survey conducted in the spring of 2011 showed that 84 percent of respondents believe that WRS helps them better understand Switzerland as a whole. The results also found that 80 percent say that the radio station is useful in their lives, with more than half of the respondents saying it is "extremely useful".

With a state-funded annual budget of 4.1 million Swiss francs and a staff of approximately 20, in addition to a network of contributors, WRS produces three live programs per day, amounting to nine hours of regular daily broadcast content. Other output includes the Friday night in-house 'Sound Check' slot, and a mixture of content from partners, including the BBC, NPR and PRI, as well as music playlists.

WRS news, features and original programs are showcased and archived on the radio station's website, featuring audio podcasts, photo galleries and Internet links to other relevant websites. The website also hosts one of the most popular online English-language classified advertising services in Switzerland.