Ambitious, but with opportunities
Most media planners—and even competitors from Basel and Zurich—think the Neue Zürcher Zeitung’s Sunday project has a chance of succeeding, albeit for very different reasons.
The majority of media planners and even competitors from Basel and Zurich give the Neue Zürcher Zeitung's Sunday project a chance - albeit for very different reasons. "I believe that the NZZ project could well have a chance. The two Sunday titles in German-speaking Switzerland only reach a good third of the population, whereas Le Matin Dimanche alone has a reach of around 50 percent on the other side of the Röstigraben. In terms of figures alone, there is potential in the reader market, including in the reader segment that the NZZ wants to address.
The SonntagsZeitung (SoZ) will certainly be more affected by the two existing titles, but the Sunday press will be strengthened overall. This is because national titles are cheaper than normal daily newspapers. If this is also the case with the NZZ project, an expansion of the national press will certainly meet with interest from advertisers."
"I've been a core reader of the NZZ for 40 years and have been waiting for three to four years for a Sunday project like this to finally happen. I am convinced that it will be a success. Although the NZZ-Sonntagsblatt may cannibalize its own Saturday edition, the publishing house on Werdstrasse will probably have the biggest problems. The SoZ has not improved its quality in recent years, which is why the number of frustrated SoZ readers has increased. In the medium term, they might have migrated to SonntagsBlick (SoBli), but now they have a new perspective."
"The NZZ Sunday project is a difficult undertaking, just in terms of distribution. And the medium-term goal of reaching a circulation of 150,000 copies is ambitious.
With the existing two titles, the Sunday market is actually covered and it is hardly possible to generate more reach on Sundays. There will therefore be a cut-throat battle, with the SoZ coming under pressure and the SoBli could emerge as the winner.
I'm not very enthusiastic about a seventh edition of the NZZ. I need an intelligent newspaper on weekdays, but I personally prefer light fare at the weekend."
"The NZZ am Sonntag should stimulate both the readership and the advertising market. Tamedia's SoZ is so well positioned with its independent profile in terms of content and appearance that it can face the new competition with confidence. The fact that the NZZ now also wants to enter the Sunday market is an expression of the generally increasing need for information and shows that there is still potential. Thanks to the line taken by SoZ and its broad base with an interesting audience, our weekend title will also benefit from the movement in the market."
"In terms of the market, it is clear that there is potential: there are certainly readers who have not yet been picked up. What's more, with Blick, Tages-Anzeiger and NZZ, three titles can coexist well on weekdays, so this should actually also work on Sundays.
In the short term, the SoZ will probably lose some advertising and also some readers; whether this will remain the case in the medium term, however, remains to be seen. The SoZ is well positioned and currently reaches more decision-makers than the NZZ. Overall, however, the Sunday market will become more interesting, which will also help the two existing titles."
"I think the NZZ's decision is very courageous, but I'm not sure whether there are enough readers for a new paper. For Weltwoche, however, the paper will be a serious competitor in the advertising market. It must therefore position itself in such a way that it can hold its own next spring despite the NZZ project. In the reader market, on the other hand, Weltwoche will be less affected. Its readership is not too keen on a Zurich-based, free-minded product. Weltwoche has already formed an antithesis to a certain extent."
Bruno Blaser, Publishing Director
Blick Group:
"The project must of course be taken very seriously. Every other property is a competitor - regardless of its journalistic orientation. That's why we're not just shrugging our shoulders, we have to think about measures. I can't say any more details yet.
What will happen in the advertising market remains to be seen: It is possible that the Sunday press will be strengthened, but it is also possible that three titles will have to divide the Sunday budgets between them.
Distribution of the new paper will be expensive for the NZZ. It cannot be ruled out that we will offer it a hand with SoBli distribution; one should never slam the door. However, talks have not yet taken place, at least not at my level."
Survey: Markus Knöpfli
The SonntagsZeitung (SoZ) will certainly be more affected by the two existing titles, but the Sunday press will be strengthened overall. This is because national titles are cheaper than normal daily newspapers. If this is also the case with the NZZ project, an expansion of the national press will certainly meet with interest from advertisers."
"I've been a core reader of the NZZ for 40 years and have been waiting for three to four years for a Sunday project like this to finally happen. I am convinced that it will be a success. Although the NZZ-Sonntagsblatt may cannibalize its own Saturday edition, the publishing house on Werdstrasse will probably have the biggest problems. The SoZ has not improved its quality in recent years, which is why the number of frustrated SoZ readers has increased. In the medium term, they might have migrated to SonntagsBlick (SoBli), but now they have a new perspective."
"The NZZ Sunday project is a difficult undertaking, just in terms of distribution. And the medium-term goal of reaching a circulation of 150,000 copies is ambitious.
With the existing two titles, the Sunday market is actually covered and it is hardly possible to generate more reach on Sundays. There will therefore be a cut-throat battle, with the SoZ coming under pressure and the SoBli could emerge as the winner.
I'm not very enthusiastic about a seventh edition of the NZZ. I need an intelligent newspaper on weekdays, but I personally prefer light fare at the weekend."
"The NZZ am Sonntag should stimulate both the readership and the advertising market. Tamedia's SoZ is so well positioned with its independent profile in terms of content and appearance that it can face the new competition with confidence. The fact that the NZZ now also wants to enter the Sunday market is an expression of the generally increasing need for information and shows that there is still potential. Thanks to the line taken by SoZ and its broad base with an interesting audience, our weekend title will also benefit from the movement in the market."
"In terms of the market, it is clear that there is potential: there are certainly readers who have not yet been picked up. What's more, with Blick, Tages-Anzeiger and NZZ, three titles can coexist well on weekdays, so this should actually also work on Sundays.
In the short term, the SoZ will probably lose some advertising and also some readers; whether this will remain the case in the medium term, however, remains to be seen. The SoZ is well positioned and currently reaches more decision-makers than the NZZ. Overall, however, the Sunday market will become more interesting, which will also help the two existing titles."
"I think the NZZ's decision is very courageous, but I'm not sure whether there are enough readers for a new paper. For Weltwoche, however, the paper will be a serious competitor in the advertising market. It must therefore position itself in such a way that it can hold its own next spring despite the NZZ project. In the reader market, on the other hand, Weltwoche will be less affected. Its readership is not too keen on a Zurich-based, free-minded product. Weltwoche has already formed an antithesis to a certain extent."
Bruno Blaser, Publishing Director
Blick Group:
"The project must of course be taken very seriously. Every other property is a competitor - regardless of its journalistic orientation. That's why we're not just shrugging our shoulders, we have to think about measures. I can't say any more details yet.
What will happen in the advertising market remains to be seen: It is possible that the Sunday press will be strengthened, but it is also possible that three titles will have to divide the Sunday budgets between them.
Distribution of the new paper will be expensive for the NZZ. It cannot be ruled out that we will offer it a hand with SoBli distribution; one should never slam the door. However, talks have not yet taken place, at least not at my level."
Survey: Markus Knöpfli
