Another upheaval in the media market of Northwestern Switzerland
Basler Zeitung Medien (BZM) is taking matters into its own hands: Starting January 1, 2008, ad sales for all BZM publications will no longer be handled by Publicitas but by the media company itself, which is setting up a dedicated department for this purpose. BZM and PubliGroupe are thus responding to the changing market conditions in northwestern Switzerland.
Basler Zeitung Medien (BZM) is going it alone: from January 1, 2008, advertising sales for all BZM titles will no longer be handled by Publicitas, but by the media company itself, which is setting up its own department for this purpose. BZM and PubliGroupe are thus reacting to the changed market conditions in north-western Switzerland. The change will clarify the relationship between the leading newspaper publishers in the greater Basel area, as BZM announced on Friday. Publicitas had previously been responsible for advertising sales for all three competing titles in the region, Basler Zeitung (BaZ), Basellandschaftliche Zeitung and Mittelland Zeitung. This has led to conflicts of interest, as confirmed by Matthias Hagemann, Chairman of the Board of Directors of BZM, at the request of SDA.
market processing, there would have been fundamental differences of opinion.
From 2008, advertising sales for BZM titles will therefore be handled by a new in-house department. It is hoped that this step will increase sales. The Basel newspaper market is highly competitive: the Basellandschaftliche Zeitung has been published in association with the Mittelland Zeitung since September 2006, but is journalistically independent. BaZ, which would have liked to integrate its only regional competitor itself, countered with an expanded regional section.
PubliGroupe, which holds a 37 percent stake in BZM, will remain a partner of Basler Zeitung Medien. Hans-Peter Rohner, CEO of PubliGroupe, said that it was "not a routine procedure" for a newspaper to withdraw from the magazine in terms of advertising sales. However, Publicitas will continue to place advertisements with BZM. Rohner estimates that in this role it could contribute around 50 percent of BaZ's advertising sales. Due to the new concept for market cultivation in Basel, Publicitas is gradually cutting around 20 jobs there. Some of the affected employees will be taken on by BZM.
market processing, there would have been fundamental differences of opinion.
From 2008, advertising sales for BZM titles will therefore be handled by a new in-house department. It is hoped that this step will increase sales. The Basel newspaper market is highly competitive: the Basellandschaftliche Zeitung has been published in association with the Mittelland Zeitung since September 2006, but is journalistically independent. BaZ, which would have liked to integrate its only regional competitor itself, countered with an expanded regional section.
PubliGroupe, which holds a 37 percent stake in BZM, will remain a partner of Basler Zeitung Medien. Hans-Peter Rohner, CEO of PubliGroupe, said that it was "not a routine procedure" for a newspaper to withdraw from the magazine in terms of advertising sales. However, Publicitas will continue to place advertisements with BZM. Rohner estimates that in this role it could contribute around 50 percent of BaZ's advertising sales. Due to the new concept for market cultivation in Basel, Publicitas is gradually cutting around 20 jobs there. Some of the affected employees will be taken on by BZM.
