Swissinfo

What Swissinfo does

SWI swissinfo.ch is the international online service of Swiss public broadcaster SRG SSR, headquartered in Bern and tracing its origins to 1935 as Swiss Radio International. It distributes Swiss perspectives on international affairs to global audiences in ten languages (English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, and Russian), serving two principal segments: an international audience interested in Swiss viewpoints on global issues, and the Swiss diaspora seeking multilingual access to domestic news, with secondary reach into policy, diplomatic, and academic communities interested in Swiss neutrality and multilateral affairs. Its core product surface is the multilingual swissinfo.ch website, supplemented by the SWIplus mobile application for iOS and Android, three branded podcast series (Inside Geneva, Swiss Connection, Lost Cells), topic-specific newsletters (geopolitics, democracy, science, culture, business, Swiss abroad), an interactive Debates platform, a 'Truth or Tale' fact-checking service, curated Swiss film content, and long-form special reports.

The platform's underlying technology centers on AI-assisted translation using third-party tools (DeepL and Google Translate) to deliver content across language editions, with every AI-assisted translation reviewed by the editorial team. Generative AI is additionally used for article summaries, audio dubbing and subtitling, and video editing, again under human editorial oversight. The organisation holds Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) recertification from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), positioning it within a network of 2,450+ certified media outlets across 130+ countries as a credibility-anchored source for AI- and search-mediated distribution.

Swissinfo is a chartered public service entity, not a commercially operated business. It has no advertising, no paywall, and no subscription fees; its operating budget is allocated from SRG SSR's license-fee revenue, which itself derives from mandatory Swiss household broadcasting fees recently reduced from CHF 335 to CHF 300. The go-to-market is product-led growth through free multilingual digital content, podcasts, newsletters, and mobile distribution, with no enterprise sales motion. The organisation faces an acute funding contraction: a 2025 Swiss austerity proposal would require CHF 270 million in cumulative SSR savings by 2029, including the elimination of 900 full-time positions and a halving of Swissinfo's own budget, making its near-term operating model materially uncertain.

Name

Swissinfo

Legal name

SWI swissinfo.ch (branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR)

Website

https://swissinfo.ch

Company type

Public

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SWI swissinfo.ch is the international multilingual news service of Swiss public broadcaster SRG SSR, delivering Swiss perspectives on global affairs in 10 languages to worldwide audiences and the Swiss diaspora, funded entirely through Swiss household broadcasting license fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Service Broadcasting

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

International News & Current Affairs Broadcasters (MPABAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

International/Multilingual Streaming Channels (MPABAHAI), International TV Broadcasters (Free-to-Air/Satellite/Cable) (MPABAEAJ)

Keywords

• Multilingual news publishing
• Public service broadcasting
• Digital journalism platform
• International news coverage
• Podcast content production

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding (SRG SSR): Funded as a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR through Swiss broadcasting license fees. Faces budget cuts as part of government austerity programme - funding would be halved under proposed cuts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Swissinfo operates a multilingual digital news platform that produces and distributes original Swiss-focused journalism in 10 languages worldwide. As the international branch of Switzerland's public broadcaster SRG SSR, it delivers content through its main website, mobile applications, original podcasts, daily and weekly email newsletters, and a dedicated fact-checking service aimed at international audiences and the Swiss diaspora.

Product overview

SWI swissinfo.ch is a multilingual news platform operated by Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR), delivering international coverage of Swiss perspectives and Swiss perspectives on global events. The core offering is the swissinfo.ch website available in 10 languages, complemented by the SWIplus mobile application for Swiss citizens abroad, multiple podcast series (Inside Geneva, Swiss Connection, Lost Cells), topic-specific newsletters, an interactive debates platform, fact-checking services, and curated Swiss film content. The platform uses AI-assisted translation to deliver content efficiently across language markets while maintaining editorial review of all AI-generated content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Swiss Connection Podcast: A science podcast produced by Swissinfo featuring Swiss scientific research and innovation stories for an international audience.
• Inside Geneva Podcast
• Lost Cells Podcast
• SWIplus App

Products and services

• Swissinfo Multilingual News Platform (Website and Mobile App) Core multilingual digital news platform delivering original Swiss-focused journalism in 10 languages, accessible via swissinfo.ch and dedicated iOS/Android mobile applications, aimed at international readers and the Swiss diaspora.
• Swissinfo Podcasts Original podcast content produced by Swissinfo covering Swiss news, politics, culture, and international affairs, distributed across major podcast platforms for global listeners.
• Swissinfo Multilingual Newsletters (Daily and Weekly) Daily and weekly email newsletters produced in multiple languages, delivering curated Swiss news to international subscribers directly in their inbox.
• Swissinfo Fact-Check Dedicated fact-checking editorial service certified under the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) by Reporters Without Borders, providing verified reporting and misinformation verification to international audiences and partner organisations.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Reporters Without Borders (RSF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026RSF created the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) standards to make journalistic work processes transparent. Swissinfo completed JTI recertification, helping identify it as a credible journalistic source in the digital information space.
• SRG SSR (Swiss Broadcasting Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWI swissinfo.ch is a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR, the Swiss public service broadcaster. SRG SSR comprises four regional language broadcasters: RTS (French), SRF (German), RSI (Italian), and RTR (Romansh).
• TV5MondeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwissinfo contributes to international broadcaster TV5Monde as part of its international broadcasting role.
• 3SatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwissinfo contributes to international broadcaster 3Sat as part of its international broadcasting role.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BBC World Service: The BBC's international multilingual news service operating across radio, web, and apps in dozens of languages, funded primarily by the UK Foreign Office and grant-in-aid — directly comparable in mandate, multilingual scope, and public-service funding model.
• TV5Monde: Francophone international broadcaster funded by France, Canada, and partner governments — a direct distribution partner of Swissinfo and a structural peer as a state-funded multilingual international broadcaster.
• Al Jazeera English: Qatar-funded multilingual international news network with strong digital presence and editorial focus on geopolitics, diplomacy, and the Global South — overlapping Swissinfo's coverage of international affairs and humanitarian topics.
• Voice of America: US government-funded international broadcaster distributing multilingual news and information globally — directly comparable as a publicly funded international broadcaster with multilingual web/digital distribution.
• NHK World: Japan's public broadcaster's international service providing news and cultural content in multiple languages including Japanese, English, and Chinese — comparable multilingual public-service international broadcaster with a country-brand focus.
• Euronews: Pan-European multilingual news broadcaster operating in multiple language editions with public-broadcaster ownership — directly comparable multilingual international news platform with overlapping coverage of European affairs and international topics.
• France 24: France's international news channel broadcasting in French, English, Arabic, and Spanish, operated by France Médias Monde with public funding — directly comparable as a multilingual state-backed international news platform.
• Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty: US-funded international broadcaster operating in dozens of languages across Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East — directly comparable as a publicly funded multilingual international broadcaster with a fact-based editorial mission.
• CGTN: China's state-backed international multilingual news network broadcasting in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Russian, and other languages — a comparable state-funded international broadcaster targeting global audiences.
• Deutsche Welle: Germany's international public broadcaster offering multilingual news in 30+ languages with a public-service mandate and government funding — the closest structural analogue to Swissinfo in Europe.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/swissinfo_en
• Facebookfacebook.com/swissinfo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swissinfo-ch

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Swissinfo