The Basel region has a new, paid-for online magazine

Head Christian Keller focuses on local stories and a simple payment model. The local boss left the Basel Newspaper after the announcement of the sale to Tamedia in April. Formerly with Telebasel for ten years, Keller, who was born in 1982, had wanted to become self-employed for some time, as he told the Keystone-SDA agency. Now he has found a software tool that makes the step seem realistic.

Keller wants to avoid the free culture of many online media by consistently selling his texts. On the Prime News-Only the title, lead and image can be viewed free of charge on the website; more costs money. Videos are only being considered; we are starting with statically illustrated texts - silence is the concept.

Someone always pays

He offers three options: You can watch a 15-second commercial; the company in question then pays for you to read the text in question. Or you can pay one franc per text using your cell phone number via your provider bill; the major providers and Paypal are included. Thirdly, there are annual subscriptions for 69 francs.

Founded as a sole proprietorship in Binningen BL in May, Keller has been operating as a limited company in Basel since mid-July. Keller counters skepticism about the business model with optimism that such a simple payment method has a good chance against all the complicated existing models. He does not disclose budget figures; only his brother - who does the advertising administration - and he are permanently employed, although he himself is not drawing a salary for the time being. He could expand the team very quickly if it is successful.

Ten freelance authors, paid according to the usual rates, will help to provide two new stories every day. Keller locates the latter in the local niche, primarily Basel and the surrounding area. With background stories, portraits and columns, he has his sights set on a target audience between the ages of 30 and 65.

Flexible as a small company

Keller relies on the SmartWall software from the Lausanne-based start-up SwissPay.ch. This makes texts accessible with just two clicks. Advertisers, who are named in advance, pay when someone watches their 15-second spot. Sufficient advertisers are available for the launch, says Keller. It is lean and flexible without publisher-related considerations. SmartWall has already proven itself with two newspapers (the La Liberté in Freiburg and Journal du Dimanche in France), albeit selectively and adapted to publishing needs.

As a well-connected journalist, Keller had already placed a primeur (on the personnel consequences of the BVB rail debacle) on his Facebook page before the start, thus ensuring mentions and attention.

On Monday evening - Tuesday was announced - the Prime News The new edition started with eight texts, including on the left-wing background to a clean banner march, the course of business in the market hall, jazz references to New Orleans and a sponsorship text from a Basel wine house.

Stormy environment

Prime News is not tilling a fallow field: since 1998, Peter Knechtli's OnlineReports News and stories online free of charge, and according to its own figures is in the black. Launched in 2011, the DailyWeek publishes online on an ongoing basis, which is becoming increasingly important as the print edition is reduced to a fortnightly rhythm due to cost savings. All regional providers, including Telebasel, which is strongly promoting its internet channel, are using multimedia. The online portal Barfi.ch by former Radio Basilisk co-founder Christian Heeb was the last to go online in 2015. Due to a lack of advertising revenue, Barfi.ch is now in debt-restructuring moratorium and is looking for partners. (SDA)