"NW1" broadcasts with a reprieve

The Baselbieter television station "NW1" will remain on air for the time being, although it is not covering its costs, the Allschwil-based station announced on Monday afternoon. The employees were informed by the Board of Directors on Monday morning that the station would not be closing immediately, giving them the opportunity to look for new solutions. The grace period ends on June 30, 2006. For some time now, the main shareholders and the Board of Directors have been trying to achieve synergies by means of couplings and sales talks in order to boost the economic situation of "NW1". They are now open to all ideas. However, if no new path emerges by June, the emergency brake will have to be pulled.
In mid-February, the electricity supplier Elektra Birseck Münchenstein (EBM), the main shareholder of "NW1", announced its intention to exit the loss-making local television station. At the beginning of March, the second main shareholder Christian Heeb followed with the same announcement (Werbewoche reported). Since then, buyers have been sought.

As the Basler Zeitung reported on Monday, EBM director Hans Büttiker sees the error in the overly optimistic business plan. The advertising revenue had not been recouped by a long way, and the company had also overestimated its operating performance. Attempts were made in vain to sell smaller share packages to well-known companies in Basel. In a second step, the cooperation with "Telebasel" failed. Then national media companies were approached, but there were only rejections. Büttiker already spoke of an "orderly shutdown"; the program would be discontinued in the event of liquidation in July or August. The notice periods for employees are to be observed. The closure of the station would affect 19 permanent employees and some freelancers.