New Tamedia structure harmonizes Bern and Zurich

 The new Tamedia structure has brought together two companies with very different structures, said Tamedia spokesperson Christoph Zimmer on the changes: "Espace Media Groupe and Tamedia were very differently organized, now the Board of Directors has created a coherent structure." The Bern-based Espace Media was previously managed by three heads, while the Zurich-based Tamedia was divided into six divisions according to genre. The reorganization leaves the Bernese part as well as the Zurich media with a great deal of autonomy, Zimmer found: "The two new members of the company management, who come from Espace Media, manage important areas: Albert Stäheli the Espace Bern media and Urs Schweizer the publishing services". In addition, the Bern media will continue to be combined in one unit. The spokesman emphasized that the four newly created divisions are of equal value, which is also shown by the fact that they are comparable in terms of turnover or number of employees. The famous "Berner Modell" is still subject to the same conditions: "As long as the Bund and the Berner Zeitung are economically and journalistically successful, the model will remain in place," explained Zimmer. There are currently no concrete projects for a cooperation between the two Bernese papers and the Tages-Anzeiger, but a form of cooperation will certainly be examined in the medium term. According to Zimmer, however, this would have to be a collaboration between "titles on an equal footing". Cooperation would take place where readers and advertising customers would benefit. Zimmer does not believe that the Berner Zeitung and Tages-Anzeiger, for example, will share the same mantle at some point: "That would hardly work".
Tamedia certainly wants to grow in the online sector. The Internet activities are combined in the "Media Switzerland" division - however, the planned new online network is not included there: "This is a project of the daily newspapers in Berne and Zurich, which are realizing the network together with the Basler Zeitung". This is why it - like the planned commuter newspaper News - is affiliated with the respective regional divisions.
There were no direct job cuts as a result of the restructuring, "apart from the three management positions", said Zimmer. However, he conceded that jobs may be cut as part of the consolidation.
Now that the reorganization in Switzerland is over, Tamedia would have time to think about foreign projects. Since October, the media company has been publishing a commuter newspaper in Luxembourg together with Editpresse. "We had a good opportunity here to realize a project with a partner," explained the spokesperson. Beyond that, there is no master plan for expansion abroad. However, Werdstrasse does not seem averse to possible plans abroad: "If Tamedia can bring specific added value to a project, further involvement is not out of the question".