The Confederation networks throughout Switzerland
A new layout is intended to help the company return to profitability in 2004
A new layout should help to get back into the black in 2004By Markus Knöpfli After various failures, the newspaper Der Bund is concentrating on an urban strategy. On the one hand, it will appear in a new outfit from October 21, and on the other, new partnerships are being forged, including with the Mittelland Zeitung.
"The Board of Directors (and therefore also the shareholders of the NZZ Group and Publicitas) is holding on to the Bund even in these difficult economic times." This sentence, which can be found in the Bund's press documents, should show that the Bernese boat, which is currently floundering, is well anchored despite the high waves. Nevertheless, work is underway to moor the ship even better. One of the ropes is the new layout, which extends to the group sister St.Galler Tagblatt (SGT). Not only has the same newspaper designer Katja Hösli been brought in as for the St.Galler Tagblatt, but the two layouts and newspaper concepts have also been closely aligned - to make it easier to exchange articles in future. A joint correspondent post for the business section is also being considered.
A first rope has also been thrown out to the Neue Luzerner Zeitung, which recently also became a regional newspaper in the NZZ Group. "But we only have a loose connection there," says Publishing Director J. Pepe Wiss. In contrast, the rope that has been attached to the Mittelland Zeitung is already tighter. "We are currently discussing editorial cooperation or a follow-up combination," explains Wiss. A kind of Mittelland-Plus, a supplement to the only rope connection that already provides support: the NZZ Plus and NZZ Grandplus combination (with Le Temps).
Wiss formulates the aim of these efforts as follows:
"We want to be in the black again in 2004." The deficit is to be significantly reduced as early as next year. After the baskets in the Oberland and Fribourg and the split failure in Biel, this is now to be achieved with a focus on the urban areas of Berne, Thun, Biel and Burgdorf. However, new splits are ruled out, says Wiss.
Back to the layout: although the first color images can be seen on the front and on some other pages, the paper concept remains black and white for technical reasons (old printing press in Bümpliz). It is still possible that the Bund will be printed by competitor Espace Media from 2006. Wiss is still keeping this option open.
"The Board of Directors (and therefore also the shareholders of the NZZ Group and Publicitas) is holding on to the Bund even in these difficult economic times." This sentence, which can be found in the Bund's press documents, should show that the Bernese boat, which is currently floundering, is well anchored despite the high waves. Nevertheless, work is underway to moor the ship even better. One of the ropes is the new layout, which extends to the group sister St.Galler Tagblatt (SGT). Not only has the same newspaper designer Katja Hösli been brought in as for the St.Galler Tagblatt, but the two layouts and newspaper concepts have also been closely aligned - to make it easier to exchange articles in future. A joint correspondent post for the business section is also being considered.
A first rope has also been thrown out to the Neue Luzerner Zeitung, which recently also became a regional newspaper in the NZZ Group. "But we only have a loose connection there," says Publishing Director J. Pepe Wiss. In contrast, the rope that has been attached to the Mittelland Zeitung is already tighter. "We are currently discussing editorial cooperation or a follow-up combination," explains Wiss. A kind of Mittelland-Plus, a supplement to the only rope connection that already provides support: the NZZ Plus and NZZ Grandplus combination (with Le Temps).
Wiss formulates the aim of these efforts as follows:
"We want to be in the black again in 2004." The deficit is to be significantly reduced as early as next year. After the baskets in the Oberland and Fribourg and the split failure in Biel, this is now to be achieved with a focus on the urban areas of Berne, Thun, Biel and Burgdorf. However, new splits are ruled out, says Wiss.
Back to the layout: although the first color images can be seen on the front and on some other pages, the paper concept remains black and white for technical reasons (old printing press in Bümpliz). It is still possible that the Bund will be printed by competitor Espace Media from 2006. Wiss is still keeping this option open.
