Takeover of Stadtzürcher Tagblatt meets with criticism in Zurich
The takeover of the *Tagblatt der Stadt Zürich* by SVP politician Christoph Blocher has drawn criticism in Zurich: The Greens, for example, are appalled that the city’s official gazette is now in the hands of the SVP and that Blocher can influence its readers.
The right-wing bourgeois press is thus setting foot in the city of Zurich, according to a statement on Wednesday. The diversity of the media is dwindling and with it the possibilities for the residents of Zurich to obtain neutral and factual information.
The Greens have therefore launched stickers with the inscription "No to Blocher propaganda. No to the Tagblatt". Similar mailbox stickers were distributed by the SP in Winterthur last year after Blocher bought the Zehnder publishing house and with it the free title Winterthur Newspaper had taken over.
Criticism also from SP and AL
SP and AL are also critical of the deal: An SP and an AL councillor want to submit a postulate in the city parliament of Zurich, as AL councillor Andreas Kirstein reported an online report of the New Zurich Newspaper confirmed on Wednesday.
The postulate calls on the City of Zurich to check whether the contract with Tagblatt der Stadt Zürich AG is being observed. In the event of breaches of contract, it should terminate the contract, as it would in the event of large-scale redundancies in the editorial department.
Already after the first rumors of a swap of titles between the Zurich media group Tamedia and the politician Christoph Blocher emerged in March, Kirstein, together with an SP councillor and 60 co-signatories, submitted a written question.
In its response, the City Council states that the contract with Tagblatt der Stadt Zürich AG was concluded for a fixed period of five years - until the end of 2022 - with the option of extending it for a further five years.
No termination possible with new owners
Early termination is possible for important reasons, for example if the continuation of the contract has become unreasonable for the terminating party, it continues. However, there is no provision for the city to terminate the contract with new owners.
The Tagblatt, which is published on Wednesdays, is contractually obligated to provide factual, politically and journalistically balanced reporting. The City Council reserves the right to terminate the contract prematurely in the event of any breaches of contract.
The City of Zurich had once again awarded the contract for the printed official gazette to Tagblatt der Stadt Zürich AG with effect from January 1, 2018. Tagblatt der Stadt Zürich AG was the only company to submit a bid for the contract that had been put out to tender. (SDA)
Stop SVP propaganda sheet! ?
Blocher tears the @TagblattZuerich under nail ? As of now, we have free mailbox stickers with the inscription "No to Blocher propaganda. No #Tag sheet!" available. Order NOW! ?
➡️ https://t.co/7V7apFtuEF pic.twitter.com/fXjKytEipD
- Green Party Zurich ? (@GreenZuerich) April 18, 2018
