Much support for preservation of Le Temps
More than 300 prominent figures are campaigning to ensure the continued existence of the Geneva daily newspaper Le Temps, including former Federal Councilors Micheline Calmy-Rey and Pascal Couchepin. The newspaper is being offered for sale by Ringier and Tamedia.
The "Circle of Friends of Le Temps" (Cercle des Amis du "Temps") has launched an appeal for the preservation of the newspaper and received a great response, as it announced on Friday. In addition to the two former members of the national government, several government councillors and artists signed the appeal. The signatories not only want to support the work of the current publishers and editorial team, but also want French-speaking Switzerland to raise funds to take over the title and run the newspaper.
If necessary, they want to give the Co-President of the "Freundeskreis", former State Secretary Charles Kleiber, and former Geneva State Councillor Olivier Vodoz the mandate to put together a group of buyers that adheres to the principles of the "Freundeskreis", which are regarded as fundamental.
The media companies Tamedia and Ringier, which each hold 46.2 percent of Le Temps, put the newspaper up for sale on October 8 (Werbewoche.ch reported). Several potential buyers are still in the running. The decision is expected to be made in the first half of 2014. (SDA)
