Courageous decisions

Guest commentary The Golf generation is becoming
editors-in-chief. Their starting position is ideal because ideologically
unencumbered, says Res Strehle.
In Switzerland, it used to be the case that
editor-in-chief at the age at which he was elected to the Party Central Committee in China.
three appointments from Swiss daily newspapers in the
these days, the average age of Swiss editors-in-chief has dropped
2006 strikingly. At the NZZ, Markus Spillmann (38) will take over from Hugo Bütler
at the Berner Zeitung, Michael Hug (41) and Markus
Eisenhut (43) replaces Andreas Z'Graggen. Two courageous decisions that show,
that the publishers - a constant term of office for the newly appointed
like their predecessors - at least for the next one,
believe in the future of their print media for two decades.

The designated editors-in-chief are, to speak with Florian Ilies,
Representative of the Golf generation. Too young to be 68 or anti-68,
ideologically unencumbered and therefore in an ideal starting position  
for comments of any kind. You will not be responded to current topics with
ideological reflex, but for one or the other
be good for a surprising expression of opinion. The fact that Markus
Unlike his predecessors, Spillmann is not a member of the
party speaks for his independence. Also in
When it comes to the war in Iraq, the designated editor-in-chief of the NZZ
not be guided by ideology, but by the facts.

It is also a good sign of independence that the three are not from
from the innermost circle of power, but from the diaspora:
Spillmann from the NZZ am Sonntag, Hug from the Solothurner Tagblatt, the
Outpost of the Berner Zeitung in Solothurn, Eisenhut had 20
Minuten before the title was taken over by Tamedia
was taken over. All three have done a good job and are considered
than communicative. If they can improve anywhere, it's in terms of
Strength of opinion. The Golf generation has no opinion at a high level,
However, the three new editors-in-chief are likely to
to quote Markus Werner, in their office quite playfully the one
and let other opinions tumble out.

The new appointments have the advantage that in future it will no longer be necessary to
the age of editors-in-chief needs to be discussed. It will be like
old and young coexist everywhere in life, and because in the
In contrast to soccer players, decreasing speed in the
is less important in the editorial offices than on the lawn and
in contrast to zoo animals, the attractiveness factor of the offspring
is less significant, neither one nor the other will be
be a disadvantage. Perhaps a little bit of
Wisdom on this. And the editors-in-chief conference no longer has to
expect that a member who has barely joined the company will be forced or
takes voluntary early retirement.

Res Strehle is Editor-in-Chief of Das Magazin and President of the Editors-in-Chief Conference.