Those who watch TV time-shifted have known it since 2022: Just before the desired program starts or when fast-forwarding, a short commercial appears. From April 2026, this model will be expanded, and soon the SRG channels will also follow.
What is Replay-TV and why is there advertising at all?
Replay-TV allows programs to be accessed up to 14 days after their original broadcast time. The ability to simply skip advertising has led to TV broadcasters increasingly losing advertising revenue.
30 to 40 percent of all TV content in Switzerland is consumed time-shifted, with a rising trend. The industry responded to this development in 2020 with the so-called Joint Tariff 12 (GT12), which laid the foundation for new advertising formats in Replay-TV.
Private broadcasters such as CH Media, RTL Deutschland, and ProSieben have been implementing this model since October 2022. Those who watch time-shifted on 3+, RTL, or ProSieben are therefore already familiar with the new advertising formats.
Overview of the three advertising formats
As part of the GT12 industry agreement, three advertising formats were introduced:
- Start Ad: Short, non-skippable spot at the start of a time-shifted program
- Fast Forward Ad: Spot that appears when fast-forwarding through a commercial break in Replay
- Pause Ad: Static advertising banner when pressing the pause button
The spots are significantly shorter than classic TV commercial blocks.
From April 2026: Two Start Ads instead of one
From April 2026, the model will be further developed. At the start of a time-shifted program, two Start Ads will be shown instead of the previous one. This change affects all broadcasters currently participating in the GT12 industry agreement.
Current GT12 broadcasters (as of March 2026):
- 3+, 4+, 5+, 6+, 7+ Family / Nick Schweiz
- S1, TV24, TV25
- Puls 8
- RTL, RTLZWEI, VOX, NITRO, Super RTL
- ProSieben, SAT.1, Kabel Eins, ProSieben MAXX, SAT.1 Gold, Sixx
- TeleZüri, TeleBärn, Tele M1, Tele 1, TVO
N-TV was part of the agreement until September 2025 and has not been included since then.
SRG channels to follow shortly
SRG has fundamentally agreed to participate in the unified Replay advertising model. Implementation is still pending. The following SRG channels will then also display Replay advertising:
- SRF 1 HD
- SRF zwei HD
- SRF Info HD
- RTS 1 HD
- RTS 2 HD
- RSI LA 1 HD
- RSI LA 2 HD
A concrete start date has not yet been announced. The technical implementation will then be carried out by all participating distributors: Swisscom, Sunrise, Quickline, Salt, Zattoo, and Teleboy.
Those who access SRG content directly via Play SRF or Play Suisse are not affected. These platforms will remain ad-free.
What is behind this?
The industry justifies the step with the ongoing decline in the classic TV advertising market. Replay ads are intended to at least partially compensate for this loss and to secure the financing of Swiss TV productions in the long term.
In neighbouring countries, Replay-TV is often chargeable or not available at all. In Switzerland, it remains widely accessible through the GT12 agreement, but with these advertising insertions as compensation.
Can Replay advertising be avoided?
Yes. Most TV providers offer a paid upgrade that allows Replay advertising to be skipped. The conditions vary depending on the provider. At Teleboy, the function is included in the TV+ subscription with the Skip-Ad function.
Which provider offers the Skip-Ad function at what price varies significantly. Those who want to be on the safe side when signing up for their next subscription should compare the offers beforehand.
Compare TV subscriptions in Switzerland
With or without Replay advertising: The differences between Swiss TV providers are greater than you might think. On zufriedenmit.ch you will find a neutral overview of all relevant TV subscriptions, including information on Replay, Skip-Ad functions, and customer satisfaction.
Changes at a glance
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| From October 2022 | Replay ads on private GT12 broadcasters |
| From 30 September 2025 | N-TV leaves the GT12 industry agreement |
| From April 2026 | Two Start Ads instead of one on all GT12 private broadcasters |
| Soon | SRG channels (SRF, RTS, RSI) will also show Replay advertising |
Those who want to consistently avoid the additional advertising should pay particular attention to the Skip-Ad function when comparing subscriptions next time.
