The language of the world papers
«English editions» aren't profitable, but they bring a lot of prestige to high-quality titles
"English editions don't pay off, but bring prestige to quality titlesBy Oliver Classen Der Spiegel would like to have one, the NZZ is currently limiting its editions to the Internet and the FAZ is even discontinuing them altogether at the end of June: economic cost pressure is turning English-language editions from a dream into a worry for renowned publishing houses.
The fact that the Neue Zürcher Zeitung became Helmut Kohl's favorite newspaper in the 1990s was due not only to its conservative stance but also to the fact that it summarized German debates more neutrally and soberly than its competitors from Frankfurt (FAZ), Munich (Süddeutsche Zeitung) or Hamburg (Der Spiegel). For the same reason, the FAZ has met with immense interest from Anglo-American ambassadors, parliamentarians and even members of government - since its "English Edition" has been included daily in the International Herald Tribune (IHT). The person making this claim is Berthold Kohler, the political editor of the Frankfurt newspaper and therefore knows what he is talking about: cross-border opinion power.
And from a competitive journalistic advantage over publishers that traditionally look beyond the German (language) horizon, such as Der Spiegel. Its management team around editor-in-chief Stefan Aust and publishing director Fried von Bismarck have been toying with an overseas version of the news magazine aimed at business leaders and politicians for some time. In mid-March, the industry magazine Kontakter once again spread the rumor that such a publication was already in the pipeline. However, when asked by WerbeWoche, Spiegel boss von Bismarck waved it off. "Such a beautiful but costly expansion of Spiegel into the English-speaking world is far beyond our current means".
"English FAZ" increased IHT circulation by 30 percent
The FAZ, whose eight- to sixteen-page English edition will be published for the last time on June 30, has recently adopted a very similar tone. However, Kohler is adamant: "If you want to be heard in the concert of the greats, you have to speak or write the global lingua franca today." He was accordingly delighted when the IHT chose his newspaper (along with a dozen other papers, including El País and the Israeli Ha'aretz) as a "publishing partner" in mid-1999 and at the same time took over the entire financing of a "German Supplement". Incidentally, the Americans had also negotiated with the NZZ at the time.
In terms of content, however, responsibility for the supplement, which appeared for the first time in April 2000 - and then immediately in a print run of 30,000 copies - lay entirely with the FAZ, which had to massively subsidize the prestigious project last year following a "partial withdrawal due to the economic situation" (Kohler) on the part of the IHT.
When the Tribune wanted to pull out completely in April, FAZ Managing Director Jochen Becker lowered his thumb. With a loss of 27 million euros for the first time in the financial year, Frankfurt simply no longer has the funds for extravagances, no matter how prestigious they may be. But the Americans must also be up to their necks in water, otherwise they would certainly have continued to invest in a product that has given them a 30 percent jump in circulation in Germany within two years. The fact that the English-language Internet offshoot Faz.com is also being discontinued can also only be explained by an acute shortage of funds. "If one is discontinued, the other can no longer be maintained," is Kohler's laconic comment on a decision that leaves a further 6 web editors out of work after the 10 print editors.
"Low costs and high quality" is the NZZ credo
The English Window in the bottom left-hand corner of NZZ Online is far less staff-intensive and therefore less costly. With 150 full-time equivalents, the "Showcase to Switzerland", which was prominently placed for the first time in spring, offers up-to-date translations of important articles from the print edition as well as an in-house editorial service that is appreciated by expatriates and foreign business people alike. According to Kurt Busslinger, Head of Marketing New Media, this conclusion is suggested by the 3500 to 4000 page impressions per day, with which the English Window is "on a par with the NZZ online sports or domestic sections" in terms of usage.
The Internet service, which was launched in 1997, emerged from the "Swiss Review of World Affairs", which was discontinued six months later (and after 45 years!). Of its 32 black-and-white pages, a maximum of four were occupied by advertising. But the magazine, which already seemed antiquated at the time, didn't have to pay for itself. After all, the aim was "simply" to become the opinion leader among decision-makers domiciled in Switzerland who did not speak German.
The NZZ owes the continuity of its English-language offshoot not least to the elimination of distribution costs through the Internet. "As an extra print product, it could quickly fall victim to the red pencil in times like these," says Busslinger with a view to the corresponding announcement from Frankfurt. Another cost-cutting factor is the close cooperation with Swissinfo. The SRG's international service, which is based in Bern, regularly provides the "Breaking News in English", for which the NZZ prepares the background information.
However, this synergy not only serves to inform foreigners and expatriates, but also to present Switzerland in the most global of all media: anyone who clicks on the Swiss Links in the English Window of NZZ Online has access to all institutions and organizations that could be of interest to tourists, potential investors and other business decision-makers. Of course, there is no trace of refinancing advertising here either. But what don't state-preserving media companies do for national location marketing? - Even for free if necessary.
The fact that the Neue Zürcher Zeitung became Helmut Kohl's favorite newspaper in the 1990s was due not only to its conservative stance but also to the fact that it summarized German debates more neutrally and soberly than its competitors from Frankfurt (FAZ), Munich (Süddeutsche Zeitung) or Hamburg (Der Spiegel). For the same reason, the FAZ has met with immense interest from Anglo-American ambassadors, parliamentarians and even members of government - since its "English Edition" has been included daily in the International Herald Tribune (IHT). The person making this claim is Berthold Kohler, the political editor of the Frankfurt newspaper and therefore knows what he is talking about: cross-border opinion power.
And from a competitive journalistic advantage over publishers that traditionally look beyond the German (language) horizon, such as Der Spiegel. Its management team around editor-in-chief Stefan Aust and publishing director Fried von Bismarck have been toying with an overseas version of the news magazine aimed at business leaders and politicians for some time. In mid-March, the industry magazine Kontakter once again spread the rumor that such a publication was already in the pipeline. However, when asked by WerbeWoche, Spiegel boss von Bismarck waved it off. "Such a beautiful but costly expansion of Spiegel into the English-speaking world is far beyond our current means".
"English FAZ" increased IHT circulation by 30 percent
The FAZ, whose eight- to sixteen-page English edition will be published for the last time on June 30, has recently adopted a very similar tone. However, Kohler is adamant: "If you want to be heard in the concert of the greats, you have to speak or write the global lingua franca today." He was accordingly delighted when the IHT chose his newspaper (along with a dozen other papers, including El País and the Israeli Ha'aretz) as a "publishing partner" in mid-1999 and at the same time took over the entire financing of a "German Supplement". Incidentally, the Americans had also negotiated with the NZZ at the time.
In terms of content, however, responsibility for the supplement, which appeared for the first time in April 2000 - and then immediately in a print run of 30,000 copies - lay entirely with the FAZ, which had to massively subsidize the prestigious project last year following a "partial withdrawal due to the economic situation" (Kohler) on the part of the IHT.
When the Tribune wanted to pull out completely in April, FAZ Managing Director Jochen Becker lowered his thumb. With a loss of 27 million euros for the first time in the financial year, Frankfurt simply no longer has the funds for extravagances, no matter how prestigious they may be. But the Americans must also be up to their necks in water, otherwise they would certainly have continued to invest in a product that has given them a 30 percent jump in circulation in Germany within two years. The fact that the English-language Internet offshoot Faz.com is also being discontinued can also only be explained by an acute shortage of funds. "If one is discontinued, the other can no longer be maintained," is Kohler's laconic comment on a decision that leaves a further 6 web editors out of work after the 10 print editors.
"Low costs and high quality" is the NZZ credo
The English Window in the bottom left-hand corner of NZZ Online is far less staff-intensive and therefore less costly. With 150 full-time equivalents, the "Showcase to Switzerland", which was prominently placed for the first time in spring, offers up-to-date translations of important articles from the print edition as well as an in-house editorial service that is appreciated by expatriates and foreign business people alike. According to Kurt Busslinger, Head of Marketing New Media, this conclusion is suggested by the 3500 to 4000 page impressions per day, with which the English Window is "on a par with the NZZ online sports or domestic sections" in terms of usage.
The Internet service, which was launched in 1997, emerged from the "Swiss Review of World Affairs", which was discontinued six months later (and after 45 years!). Of its 32 black-and-white pages, a maximum of four were occupied by advertising. But the magazine, which already seemed antiquated at the time, didn't have to pay for itself. After all, the aim was "simply" to become the opinion leader among decision-makers domiciled in Switzerland who did not speak German.
The NZZ owes the continuity of its English-language offshoot not least to the elimination of distribution costs through the Internet. "As an extra print product, it could quickly fall victim to the red pencil in times like these," says Busslinger with a view to the corresponding announcement from Frankfurt. Another cost-cutting factor is the close cooperation with Swissinfo. The SRG's international service, which is based in Bern, regularly provides the "Breaking News in English", for which the NZZ prepares the background information.
However, this synergy not only serves to inform foreigners and expatriates, but also to present Switzerland in the most global of all media: anyone who clicks on the Swiss Links in the English Window of NZZ Online has access to all institutions and organizations that could be of interest to tourists, potential investors and other business decision-makers. Of course, there is no trace of refinancing advertising here either. But what don't state-preserving media companies do for national location marketing? - Even for free if necessary.
