Die cheaper in Solothurn
Marketing: The Solothurner Tagblatt continues to rely on free obituaries to attract readers.
Marketing The Solothurner Tagblatt continues to rely on free obituaries to attract readers.The Solothurner Tagblatt (ST), a split of the Berner Zeitung, is again publishing local obituaries free of charge in 2007. The background: The number of local obituaries in a title is considered a yardstick for the anchoring of a title. The ST, which has been trying to gain a foothold against the Solothurner Zeitung since October 2001 and expanded its distribution area last summer, is interested in a rapid anchoring.The ST is currently probably the only Swiss newspaper with such an offer, not even the new Tagi splits in the Zurich area are resorting to this means of struggle. Of course, they would torpedo their main paper. But by all accounts, the number of obituaries in Tagi splits is still extremely meager.
Until the end of 2006, the Tagblatt für den Kanton Thurgau, a split of the St. Galler Tagblatt, also offered free obituaries - but only in the Weinfelden and Kreuzlingen districts, where the Thurgauer Zeitung (TZ) was to be attacked. "The offer was an element to promote reader loyalty," says publishing director Daniel Ehrat. With little success. "We made little impact with it. There were hardly any obituaries from these districts," he says. With the new cooperation between Tagblatt and TZ, the free offer has now been discontinued.
Until the end of 2006, the Tagblatt für den Kanton Thurgau, a split of the St. Galler Tagblatt, also offered free obituaries - but only in the Weinfelden and Kreuzlingen districts, where the Thurgauer Zeitung (TZ) was to be attacked. "The offer was an element to promote reader loyalty," says publishing director Daniel Ehrat. With little success. "We made little impact with it. There were hardly any obituaries from these districts," he says. With the new cooperation between Tagblatt and TZ, the free offer has now been discontinued.
Markus Knöpfli
