A Monument Makes Way for Saturday: Ringier's Bold Bet on Print

It’s a truism that print newspapers are struggling with declining circulation and shrinking advertising budgets. From a publishing perspective, reducing the Sunday edition or moving it up to Saturday may be a business necessity; however, it’s certainly being sold as a journalistic upgrade. But whether this move actually catches on will depend on whether the editorial team can deliver on its promises of quality and innovation. After all, in a hyper-digital media world, print only has a reason to exist if it makes no compromises when it comes to relevance, research, and storytelling.

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Our atmospheric m&k after-movie from the memorable evening at the Terrasse…

Between a Newsstand Boycott and the Language of the People: *Der Blick* Returns to Its Roots

In his opening remarks, Ringier CEO Marc Walder recalled the turbulent early years of the brand. When Blick launched in 1959, the paper faced enormous opposition: there were public newspaper burnings, the publishers’ association wanted to ban sales at train station kiosks, and the federal government even revoked Ringier’s lucrative contract to print the phone books at the time. The launch of the SonntagsBlick On March 23, 1969, the church considered this a breach of a taboo on the Lord's Day.

This retrospective was in keeping with the overall tone of the evening: We can only hope that, as part of this reorientation, the Blick brand will once again boldly return to its core strengths—hard-hitting, investigative tabloid journalism that is closely attuned to people’s everyday lives, fearlessly exposes injustices, and speaks the «language of the people» in the best sense of the word, without sugarcoating anything.

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m&k asked «stakeholders» and «those affected» for a few words about the upcoming change in the Blick universe. For the advertising clients Sonia Milici by Yuh, part of Swissquote, and for Ringier Advertising Thomas Pass.

An Evening of Anecdotes: What the Icons Had to Say

The evening at «Terrasse» was intended, above all, to offer a preview of what the new weekend format plans to focus on in the future: big, personal stories. Host Reto Scherrer coaxed some poignant reminiscences out of the celebrity guests in attendance:

Bernhard Russi, who has been closely associated with the paper for over 50 years, chatted about his very own approach to newspaper logistics. In Andermatt, he said, the *SonntagsBlick* often didn’t end up in the mailbox until Monday: «For me, the *SonntagsBlick* was never news, but purely history.» He used to need four days to write a 70-line column on the Hermes Baby typewriter; today, he types it in half an hour. He can only think while he’s typing anyway: «How am I supposed to know what I’m thinking before I’ve written it down?»

Christa Rigozzi, who was crowned Miss Switzerland exactly 20 years ago, recalled the newspaper boxes. Even in Ticino, the Sunday edition never arrived on the same day. Whenever she wanted to know what had been written about her, she would sneak out to the box in her pajamas on Sundays to grab a copy. She also credits her breakthrough to the fact that she always remained true to herself—right up to her first major political interview in the SonntagsBlick after completing her degree in political science.

Doris Leuthard, a former Federal Councilor and longtime political figure, assessed the media crisis with her usual level-headedness. She noted that reporting is often overly personalized and geared toward sensationalism. Guidance is needed to combat the rampant «news fatigue» and fake news: «You can explain complex issues simply and clearly without oversimplifying them. That is precisely a huge opportunity for Switzerland’s quality media.»

Baschi, who 20 years ago at MusicStar When he was discovered, he reflected on growing up in the media spotlight. His grandmother had meticulously pasted every newspaper clipping into albums. Whenever another particularly sensational headline about his private life threatened to surface, he had to call his family beforehand to smooth things over in advance.

Alex Frei, Switzerland’s all-time leading scorer and current U21 national team coach, took a self-critical look back at his relationship with the media. He said he used to take a lot of things too personally. Today’s young talents often lack patience because social media is more about appearances than substance: «You have to give the kids time and demand consistency.»

From a Garden Hose to a Global Corporation: David Allemann's Story of Innovation

One of the strongest performances of the evening came from On's co-founder David Allemann. His account of how the Zurich-based company was once ridiculed and eventually grew into a global billion-dollar brand listed on the New York Stock Exchange offered a remarkable parallel to the debate over the future viability of print media.

Allemann vividly recounted how co-founder Olivier Bernhard built the first prototypes by cutting up a simple garden hose and gluing the pieces to old Nike shoes. During a hike together in the Engadin, they finally decided to risk it all. Today, 1,500 employees in Zurich are using robotics and algorithms to research the future of running. Allemann’s key message to media professionals: Anyone who wants to survive in a saturated, challenging market must not settle for cosmetic changes but must instead focus radically on innovation and differentiation. This is a concept that should serve as both a warning and an incentive for Ringier as it embarks on its redesign.

The Product Promise: What We Hope to See on the Table Starting in January 2027

Starting on January 9, 2027 is the Weekend Outlook Available on Saturdays at newsstands and in mailboxes. Printed on higher-quality, whiter paper and in the familiar tabloid format, the issue is expected to have 96 pages.

The visual design is the work of Julie Body, AI Creative Director at Ringier Medien Schweiz, is responsible for the project. Body deliberately draws on historical design principles from the 1960s—such as the strict grid layout within the type area and striking typographic contrasts between classic serif typefaces for headlines and dynamic sans-serif typefaces for sports content. Her concept restores the monumental prominence to large-scale, unretouched photojournalism—a prominence that is often lost in the hectic online feed—and breaks up longer blocks of text with modular info boxes.

Editor-in-Chief Reza Rafi promises a clear break with the past: The first section will not only recap the week, but also provide deeper context and enrich the coverage with surprising voices from our writers. New columnists include the cultural philosopher Stefan Zweifel, the charismatic mayor of St. Moritz Christian Jott Jenny and beauty entrepreneur Alexandra Lüönd.

A particularly heavy burden weighs on the head of Blick's sports department Emanuel Gisi, after all, the second section—with over 30 pages—is set to become the most comprehensive print sports publication in the country. Gisi made the ambition crystal clear: «When people in Switzerland say »sports,’ they always mean *Blick*. Starting in January, our sports weekend will begin as early as Saturday morning—with analyses, background stories, and the voices that move the country.” He will be supported in this endeavor by, among others, a former referee Urs Meier, top soccer player Ramona Bachmann and player agent Sascha Fischer.

What This Move Means for the Advertising Market

The harsh economic reality is that print publications are increasingly being sidelined in the strategic media plans of many agencies and major clients. This made the prominent presence of well-known advertisers at Zurich’s «Terrasse» all the more remarkable.

Head of Ringier Advertising Thomas Pass seized the opportunity to make the fresh start more appealing by presenting concrete figures. By combining the Saturday and Sunday readerships, the total circulation would increase, in mathematical terms, by 59 percent, the readership of 46 percent. Since the pay scale structure remains at the previous level of the SonntagsBlick If it is frozen, the cost per thousand impressions (CPM) for advertisers will decrease by 32 percent. Passens' message to advertisers: Thanks to the two-day reading window on the weekend, the magazine offers longer engagement times, and its whiter paper provides a noticeably more sophisticated setting for brand presentations.

Conclusion

Whether the Weekend Outlook Whether this is a bold move toward liberation or merely an artful way of delaying the creeping decline of print will not be decided by the announcements made this evening, but rather at newsstands and among subscribers. The direction is right: Instead of timidly cutting pages to save costs, Ringier is investing in the tactile experience, the content, and distinctive voices. If the printed word has a chance of survival, this is exactly how it will happen—with an unwavering commitment to journalistic quality.

 

 

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The Facts About the Transfer: What «Blick fürs Wochenende» Has to Say»

• Release Date & Schedule:

  The latest issue of the SonntagsBlick will be published on December 27, 2026. After nearly six decades, the publication date is changing: Starting on January 9, 2027 The new one is Weekend Outlook Available as early as Saturday morning in your mailbox and at the newsstand.

• Format & Scope:

  The tried-and-true, magazine-style tabloid format remains the same, but the publication is now printed on higher-quality, whiter paper. The total circulation is 96 pages, divided into two sections:

  • Volume 1 (Classification & Society): Investigative reporting, in-depth features, interviews, analyses, and opinion pieces. New columnists include cultural philosopher Stefan Zweifel, St. Moritz Mayor Christian Jott Jenny, and beauty entrepreneur Alexandra Lüönd. The Bund is complemented by features on finance, lifestyle, and leisure.

  • Volume 2 (Focus on Sports): According to the publisher, the approximately 30-page publication is the most comprehensive printed sports publication in Switzerland—enriched with background stories, feature articles, and columns by top soccer player Ramona Bachmann, legendary referee Urs Meier, and player agent Sascha Fischer.

• The Digital Sports Center as a Bridge:

  Since Saturday games and late results cannot be fully incorporated into the print edition, Blick Print integrates with its digital platform: An expanded sports section on Blick.ch delivers results, live updates, and video content in real time directly to your smartphone.

• Visual Concept:

  Julie Body, AI Creative Director at Ringier Medien Schweiz, is responsible for the fresh new look. The design relies on a modular structure, generous white space, classic typographic contrasts, and a visually striking visual language to further develop the magazine’s visual identity in a contemporary way.

• Transition for subscribers:

  All current subscribers to View and SonntagsBlick receive the Weekend Outlook Starting in January 2027, automatically and without interruption. Readers will be personally informed of the details in the coming weeks.