Head of the week: "Le Temps will never make billions for its shareholders".
Jean-Jacques Roth has been the new editor-in-chief of the French-speaking Swiss daily newspaper Le Temps since September 1
Jean-Jacques Roth has been the new editor-in-chief of the French-speaking Swiss daily newspaper Le Temps since September 1Head of the week "Le Temps will never earn its shareholders billions" He has long since buried his boyhood dream of becoming a chef d'orchestre, but now he is editor-in-chief. But he never aspired to this position in the first place. Jean-Jacques Roth has worked as deputy editor-in-chief at various media outlets in French-speaking Switzerland in the past. However, he hastens to add that he never regarded this status as a stepping stone to the editor-in-chief's chair. At Le Temps, too, the role of "rédacteur en chef adjoint" suited him just fine. He also had doubts about his competence and, what's more, he enjoys writing.
In the current predicament of Le Temps and the entire print media industry, he will probably no longer have time for this. Nevertheless, he obviously enjoys actively helping to shape the paper, which he claims corresponds exactly to his idea of the kind of newspaper he has dreamed of since the beginning of his career as a journalist.
However, such a career was not a priority for Jean-Jacques Roth. In addition to studying economics, he attended the conservatory in Geneva and graduated with a teaching diploma in piano. However, he never taught. He denied himself a career as a musician early on with the maxim: "Either I become another Maurizio Pollini, or I don't do it at all," he said to himself.
Just over four years ago, Roth, together with Erich Hoesli, the former editor-in-chief and current director, was Le Temps' man of the first hour. However, the newspaper had already had to lay off staff last November in order not to lose sight of its primary goal of getting into the black as quickly as possible. Roth is now fighting for the editorial quality of the newspaper with national appeal in French-speaking Switzerland.
He admits that staffing levels have reached a critical limit. However, Le Temps wants to ensure quality by working with Le Monde and the Belgian newspaper Le Soir. Roth is convinced that Le Temps has its place in the market. "But we will never make billions for our shareholders," he signals. The fact that the paper has recently become slimmer is not a headache for the new editor-in-chief. Readers were overwhelmed by the original size. Today, Le Temps is more in line with the reading habits of the French-speaking population, he knows.
In the longer term, Roth suggests that consideration should also be given to how newspapers are financed. The disadvantages of extreme dependence on advertising clients prove to be very problematic in times of economic downturn.
Anita Vaucher
In the current predicament of Le Temps and the entire print media industry, he will probably no longer have time for this. Nevertheless, he obviously enjoys actively helping to shape the paper, which he claims corresponds exactly to his idea of the kind of newspaper he has dreamed of since the beginning of his career as a journalist.
However, such a career was not a priority for Jean-Jacques Roth. In addition to studying economics, he attended the conservatory in Geneva and graduated with a teaching diploma in piano. However, he never taught. He denied himself a career as a musician early on with the maxim: "Either I become another Maurizio Pollini, or I don't do it at all," he said to himself.
Just over four years ago, Roth, together with Erich Hoesli, the former editor-in-chief and current director, was Le Temps' man of the first hour. However, the newspaper had already had to lay off staff last November in order not to lose sight of its primary goal of getting into the black as quickly as possible. Roth is now fighting for the editorial quality of the newspaper with national appeal in French-speaking Switzerland.
He admits that staffing levels have reached a critical limit. However, Le Temps wants to ensure quality by working with Le Monde and the Belgian newspaper Le Soir. Roth is convinced that Le Temps has its place in the market. "But we will never make billions for our shareholders," he signals. The fact that the paper has recently become slimmer is not a headache for the new editor-in-chief. Readers were overwhelmed by the original size. Today, Le Temps is more in line with the reading habits of the French-speaking population, he knows.
In the longer term, Roth suggests that consideration should also be given to how newspapers are financed. The disadvantages of extreme dependence on advertising clients prove to be very problematic in times of economic downturn.
Anita Vaucher
