Expansion of the combat zone
After initial, fantastic readership figures, the NZZ am Sonntag faces the litmus test of subscription conversion
After initial fantastic readership figures, the NZZ am Sonntag is facing the acid test of subscription conversionThe initial readership figures for the NZZ am Sonntag (NZZaS) leave no doubt: Sunday newspapers are and will remain in vogue. According to the first interim evaluation by Mach Basic, the Sunday paper from Zurich's Falkenstrasse has 427,000 readers - just over half of the audience that reads the SonntagsZeitung (SoZ) (783,000). The NZZ is satisfied with the result. "We are pretty much in line with our expectations," explains publishing director Tobias Trevisan. the acid test for the NZZaS is still to come. The switch from free delivery to the paid subscription phase will not take place until the end of the year. For the time being, however, the reported figures are unlikely to change much because the transition will not be abrupt and will be spread over the whole of next year.
The last subscription invoices, with which the additional amount of CHF 67 for the combined subscription (NZZ and NZZaS) will be requested for the first time, will be sent out in October 2003. "Not all previous free recipients will opt for the combined subscription," Trevisan calculates, not entirely unrealistically. During the long conversion phase, the publisher will therefore also try to attract subscribers outside the existing NZZ regular clientele.
Shutting down the introductory phase step by step
The publishing director expects additional potential in retail sales. With the introductory phase now coming to an end, trial subscriptions, of which there are still between 25,000 and 40,000 on the market, will be gradually reduced: "This will have a positive impact on newsstand sales," Trevisan assumes.
Of the 170000 to 180000 copies that are currently sold per issue, only a small proportion has been paid for. According to the publishing director, an average of between 22,000 and 25,000 copies can be sold at newsstands. The threshold of 50,000 paid subscriptions has been reached.
Regardless of how quickly and to what extent the conversion of free readers into paying readers takes place, it is already possible to speak of one on the Swiss-German Sunday newspaper market. Last September's Mach Basic 2002 already showed that holiday reading is gaining in popularity: While the SonntagsBlick was able to maintain its audience, the SoZ was even able to gain 29,000 new readers - although the NZZaS was not included in this survey.
However, it remains to be seen whether and how many people will now subscribe to the newspaper at Falkenstrasse instead of Werdstrasse. According to industry estimates, SoZ is considered strong and resistant in the market. The chances are therefore good that its departures will be limited. If this is indeed the case, we can already look forward to Mach Basic 2003, which could easily add half a million additional Sunday readers in German-speaking Switzerland. And that within a single year - a huge step.
Daniel Schifferle
The last subscription invoices, with which the additional amount of CHF 67 for the combined subscription (NZZ and NZZaS) will be requested for the first time, will be sent out in October 2003. "Not all previous free recipients will opt for the combined subscription," Trevisan calculates, not entirely unrealistically. During the long conversion phase, the publisher will therefore also try to attract subscribers outside the existing NZZ regular clientele.
Shutting down the introductory phase step by step
The publishing director expects additional potential in retail sales. With the introductory phase now coming to an end, trial subscriptions, of which there are still between 25,000 and 40,000 on the market, will be gradually reduced: "This will have a positive impact on newsstand sales," Trevisan assumes.
Of the 170000 to 180000 copies that are currently sold per issue, only a small proportion has been paid for. According to the publishing director, an average of between 22,000 and 25,000 copies can be sold at newsstands. The threshold of 50,000 paid subscriptions has been reached.
Regardless of how quickly and to what extent the conversion of free readers into paying readers takes place, it is already possible to speak of one on the Swiss-German Sunday newspaper market. Last September's Mach Basic 2002 already showed that holiday reading is gaining in popularity: While the SonntagsBlick was able to maintain its audience, the SoZ was even able to gain 29,000 new readers - although the NZZaS was not included in this survey.
However, it remains to be seen whether and how many people will now subscribe to the newspaper at Falkenstrasse instead of Werdstrasse. According to industry estimates, SoZ is considered strong and resistant in the market. The chances are therefore good that its departures will be limited. If this is indeed the case, we can already look forward to Mach Basic 2003, which could easily add half a million additional Sunday readers in German-speaking Switzerland. And that within a single year - a huge step.
Daniel Schifferle
