Virtual cemetery
Commentary by René Worni on the lack of local innovation.
René Worni's commentary on the local lack of innovation The ideas workshop in the Jungfrau microcosm will remain closed to third parties from now on. Publisher Urs Gossweiler, who enjoys playing the court jester at the numerous relevant industry events and sometimes explains the tariff to the big publishers in the media city of Zurich on the edge of credibility, has tried in vain for three years to warm up publishers as partners for his micro-newspaper. It is difficult to say whether the Bernese Oberländer lacks negotiating skills. But a considerable number of publishers and media professionals have been working on a concept that cleverly dovetailed print and online even before anyone had given it much thought. The reason for the creation of the micro-newspaper, namely to keep the costs for printing and distribution as low as possible, in no way diminishes its innovative power. The crisis resistance of his project ultimately proved the Bergler right. Only Eugen A. Russ can say something similar about his Vorarlberger Nachrichten.
The Tages-Anzeiger is currently running what is probably the most significant local offensive of all. Since the launch of the new regional editions, as the sixth bundle of the Tamedia flagship, they are already much better in the hand, compared with the former tabloid on the left bank of the lake, whose appearance contrasted strikingly with the assurances of success from the editors-in-chief. Now even the regional section is more like a daily newspaper that you quickly pick up at the end.
But is that all there is to it? Why should the opponent (in this case the Zurich regional newspapers) be fought with the same means when it already enjoys a serious home advantage? The ideas for suitable strategies are practically on the street. People like Gossweiler or Russ have formulated proven entrepreneurial antitheses that could also be built on at Werdstrasse with little risk. Advertisers would certainly enjoy web TV, for example. And in the absence of obituaries in the paper (an expression of a lack of acceptance among locals), the virtual cemetery would certainly be the answer. Not to mention other (added value) features.
René Worni, Editor
The Tages-Anzeiger is currently running what is probably the most significant local offensive of all. Since the launch of the new regional editions, as the sixth bundle of the Tamedia flagship, they are already much better in the hand, compared with the former tabloid on the left bank of the lake, whose appearance contrasted strikingly with the assurances of success from the editors-in-chief. Now even the regional section is more like a daily newspaper that you quickly pick up at the end.
But is that all there is to it? Why should the opponent (in this case the Zurich regional newspapers) be fought with the same means when it already enjoys a serious home advantage? The ideas for suitable strategies are practically on the street. People like Gossweiler or Russ have formulated proven entrepreneurial antitheses that could also be built on at Werdstrasse with little risk. Advertisers would certainly enjoy web TV, for example. And in the absence of obituaries in the paper (an expression of a lack of acceptance among locals), the virtual cemetery would certainly be the answer. Not to mention other (added value) features.
René Worni, Editor
