After completing his studies, Thomas Vollmoeller worked for ten years at McKinsey & Co. in Hamburg and Düsseldorf. Since 1997, he has held various positions at Tchibo, most recently as a member of the management board for the entire non-food division. During his time at Tchibo, Thomas Vollmoeller successfully built up the e-commerce business, among other things. In 2008, he moved to the Valora Group, where he took on the role of CEO.

The 33-year-old from Bern presents the latest models of the Seeland brand garages every Friday. Oliver Berger has been working as a video journalist for TeleBielingue since 2009 and has TV presenting experience, for example he hosted the business program Geld on the Bernese station TeleBärn. Oliver Berger also owes his affinity for engines, technology and mobility to his previous part-time job: he worked as a truck driver for several years during his studies.

 

UPC Cablecom is announcing the switch as the "biggest change in the Swiss TV landscape since the introduction of digital television". This "fundamental change to the cable connection" was decided in order to take account of the fact that 80 percent of Swiss households already watch digital television, writes Cablecom in a press release. In future, owners of current TV sets (DVB-C tuners) will be able to receive 55 channels (including 19 in HD) without a Digicard or set-top box. Television sets without a digital receiver will nevertheless be able to benefit from the extended digital channel range from January 2013 by means of a free converter, UPC Cablecom writes in a press release.

The cable connection will cost 90 centimes more per month from 2013 (60 centimes more thereafter). In return, customers will be able to save the monthly rental fee (CHF 4 per month for the entry-level offer) for the set-top boxes or the one-off fee for the Digicard (CHF 99). The price increase is explained by Comparis expert Beyeler as follows Blick.ch was considered moderate, but the Cablecom offer had already been excessively high before. From 2013, customers will pay CHF 28.40 per month - with independent cable providers, the costs are usually between CHF 10 and 20. In a statement inadvertently published too early by the Foundation for Consumer Protection, SKS head Sarah Stalder also called for Swisscom, Sunrise and the remaining cable providers to follow suit and remove their encryption.

In addition, all customers are offered a 2Mbit/s Internet line. This capacity is easily sufficient for e-mail and normal surfing. The offer will be included in the basic monthly price.

For customers who have subscribed to the current basic digital Mini package, the offer will be expanded to 70 channels. Customers who wish to switch to the new digital basic offer can do so by observing the contractual notice period or at the end of their respective contract term. According to UPC Cablecom, the switch is free of charge. The basic analog service (36 channels) will also be retained for the time being. However, UPC Cablecom once again emphasizes that the relevance of the analogue network is continuing to decline and that a further reduction in the range of channels is therefore foreseeable. Thanks to the free converter, however, digital switchers will no longer be forced into expensive subscriptions, as was previously the case (provided the television did not have a CI+ slot).

Positive reactions

In an initial reaction, Swiss Consumer Protection (SKS) expressed its satisfaction with UPC Cablecom's decision to remove basic encryption. This fulfills a long-standing demand of the SKS. Swisscom and Sunrise must now follow suit. According to the news agency SDA, price watchdog Stefan Meierhans also expressed his satisfaction. The Cablecom innovation would bring substantial added value for basic service customers switching to digital television. The elimination of the set-top box will also save electricity. Overall, the price increase of CHF 1.50 for the cable connection within two years is justifiable.

Not an issue at Swisscom

At Swisscom, the abolition of basic encryption is "currently not an issue", as media spokesperson Olaf Schulze told the news agency SDA when asked. Cablecom's decision shows "that competition is at play". Incidentally, various cable providers already offer TV services without basic encryption. Michael Burkhardt, Head of Sunrise Communications, pointed out at the request of the SDA news agency that the situation at Sunrise is completely different: Sunrise offers all channels digitally via the Internet using IPTV technology. The issue of basic encryption therefore does not affect this provider.

UPC Cablecom is abandoning the encryption of its digital television. The Internet comparison service Comparis.ch welcomes this step. From the consumers' point of view, the "forced box" was not comprehensible. Now customers will finally no longer be forced to pay for such a box. It is pleasing that the pressure of competition has led to this step.

Switzerland's largest cable network operator, UPC Cablecom, today announced the end of basic encryption (Werbewoche.ch reported). In future, every owner of a newer television will be able to watch digital television directly via the existing connection in their home. The so-called set-top box is no longer a prerequisite. The usual 55 channels are available, some of which are in HD quality. Only those who want to record programs digitally or watch films on demand still need a box.

An old braid is cut off

"UPC Cablecom has finally abolished the forced box", says Ralf Beyeler, telecom expert at the internet comparison service Comparis.ch. UPC Cablecom is thus accommodating its customers. The set-top box was an old fad. Many customers did not understand why they not only had to pay the TV provider monthly fees for television, but were also forced to pay for such a box. Comparis.ch had criticized this several times in the past, and politicians had also addressed the issue.

"It is pleasing that competition has come into play here and created an advantage for consumers," says Ralf Beyeler. Because what politics has failed to achieve has now been achieved through competitive pressure. UPC Cablecom, which was practically a monopolist in the majority of Swiss households for years, has been facing tough competition for some time now. In digital television, UPC Cablecom (661,800 customers) has been overtaken by Swisscom TV (694,000 customers), which has been on the market for six years. UPC Cablecom still has 840,000 customers who only receive analog television. Many of these customers are likely to have a newer TV set and now benefit almost automatically from digital television and especially from HD quality without having to take out a contract.

High basic fees

It remains to be seen whether UPC Cablecom will be able to keep its customers. Because the measure also has a catch from the consumer's point of view. "UPC Cablecom has very high basic fees compared to other cable network operators," says Ralf Beyeler from comparis.ch. The basic fee will be even higher, from CHF 27.45 today to CHF 29.05, i.e. an increase of CHF 1.60. Many regional cable network operators only charge between 10 and 20 francs. Nevertheless, UPC Cablecom customers will also receive Internet access with a download speed of 2 Mbit/s on request and at no extra charge. This speed is sufficient for normal use. (ots)

The agency founded at the beginning of the year (Werbewoche.ch reported) has a new member: Melanie Tschuppert supports the existing trio of women, especially in the areas of realization and production. She previously gained professional experience at a large communications agency in Zug. The agency is pleased about the reinforcement and sees in Melanie Tschuppert an enrichment with the fast, precise conversion in addition, for the creative output, as it is called in a report.

The Rosenstar website is also new. Here, the company is breaking new ground in terms of design and content. According to the press release, the website is intended to be emphatically self-confident and minimalist, but at the same time sympathetic and genuine. Thus it corresponds completely to the value-oriented working method of the agency, which takes the argument with the own values as basis for the independent, authentic appearance outwardly, so the report of the agency.

This fits the blog, which is published under the name "Aviary" is intended to provide unusual insights into everyday life at the agency. The inspiration for this comes from everywhere: be it from the joint study trip to Berlin, from the weekly lunch or from a walk through the streets of Lucerne. With this openness, Rosenstar deliberately wants to set itself apart from the classic agency website.

 

To mark its 101st birthday, the Swiss illustrated magazine appears in a new design (Werbewoche.ch reported) and promises to get even closer to people and stories under the new motto "More Stars. More Switzerland" and promises to get even closer to the people and stories portrayed. The new campaign by KSB Krieg Schlupp Bürge also gets even closer, as the agency writes in a press release. Close-ups that tell stories are staged on posters, advertisements, online banners and in cinemotion spots. The images with the content "Stars" and "Switzerland" are a direct translation of the editorial content and the new concept of the new Schweizer Illustrierte.

Responsible at Ringier: Urs Heller (Managing Director Magazines); Thomas Passen (Head of Marketing); Claudia Zweifel (Product Manager Schweizer Illustrierte). Responsible at KSB war Schlupp Bürge: Daniel Krieg (Creative Director); Benny Goldstein (Art Direction); Kevin Zysset (Graphics); Sascha Borsai (Text); Rémy Müller, Franziska Saxer (Consulting); Michael Zwyssig (Prepress).

 

The time for the planned switch from the defined benefit plan to the defined contribution plan and the reduction of the technical interest rate will come "soon", said de Weck. According to Simone Wölfli, SRG Corporate Communications employee, it is ultimately the committees of both social partners that will decide on the costs and timing of the changeover. The reduction in the interest rate from 4 to a foreseeable 3.25 percent will cost "sums of money", CEO de Weck told the NZZ. However, the pension fund is no longer underfunded. "SRG has restructured it under its own steam."

Today, national broadcasting is also financially challenged by IT and real estate, said de Weck. "IT is the biggest problem of my time in office." In the past, radio and television were operated with equipment, today with software. For years to come, SRG will therefore be an IT construction site with "brutal transformation costs". Nevertheless, according to de Weck, SRG will break even on average over the next five years. In order to achieve this goal, the company intends to further increase productivity in line with its new corporate strategy and tap into new sources of income wherever possible.(SDA)
 

I had to realize today that I am a grateful victim for viral campaigns. No sooner had I noticed the corresponding poster on the HB than I tried to think of possible uses for the potential profit. The garden must fix it - one or two turnaround maneuvers should be in it. Or would it be better to start a new career as a farmer? Photograph it immediately and tell your friends! 

As if my viral vulnerability hadn't been exposed relentlessly enough, the show I saw on Joiz a few days ago also came to mind: Presenter Knackeboul was driving through Zurich on a suspiciously similar-looking tractor, the Zweifel chip bag draped prominently in the background. Since Zweifel pushes into the "Knack Attack" picture at every opportunity anyway (Werbewoche.ch reported), there was of course no suspicion on my part that the action could be anything more than a funny idea on the part of the presenter. After all, he not infrequently has funny ideas - and the tractor ride did not seem so original after all.

The Campaign works. According to Blog.xeit.ch the tractor met with a great response from the Facebook community. Users are talking about it, spreading the good news and looking forward to the most useless but most attractive prize in a long time. And as a consolation, 99 little brothers of the big truck will be raffled off among all participants: Children's tractors. If necessary, they should be able to manage one or two maneuvers. (hae)
 

Two participants and one participant completed all four disciplines of the basic course for promotional product consultants, according to a statement. Barbara Hicklin, Tanja Reber and Sergio Maurizi received the well-deserved final certificate "Promotional Products Consultant". A total of 29 participants deepened their expertise in the promotional products industry.

The basic course imparts the know-how that successful promotional product consultants need in their day-to-day business: relevant facts on marketing/ communication, telemarketing, textiles and printing processes, transportation, and merchandise knowledge of leather and food. The course participants particularly praised the learning content, the seminar materials and their presentation. They also once again appreciated the balanced mix of concept work and case studies. Robert Scheidegger, Head of Training and Further Education at Promoswiss, emphasizes: "The course topics are specifically tailored to the needs of office and field staff.

The graduates of the 4-day seminar (whole course) from left to right Barbara Hicklin, Diewerbeartikel; Tanja Reber, Polydono; Sergio Maurizi, Diewerbeartikel.

The participants of the course day Leather, Food and Transport: Reto Stutz, Sergio Maurizi, Romy Eggimann, Ralf Schmid, Barbara Hicklin, Tanja Reber, Samantha Gerundo.
 

In 2011, Erwin Kessler wanted to commission a commercial from Swiss television. The film lasted seven seconds and consisted of a VGT logo and the words: "www.vgt.ch - was das Schweizer Fernsehen totschweigt". The commercial was rejected by Publisuisse on the grounds that it was damaging to business. Kessler, on the other hand, invokes freedom of expression and accuses Swiss television of systematically discriminating against him and his association against animal factories in reports. For example, his numerous revelations about abuses in factory farming and uncovered violations of the Animal Welfare Act are consistently boycotted. This, as Kessler writes in the complaint to the Federal Court, is not done for factual reasons, but for "private ideological and political motives of the SF employees".

In response to Kessler's complaint, the independent appeal body argued that the commercial was damaging to Swiss television's business and image. Kessler criticizesHe had not been given the opportunity to prove why the statement in the advertisement was correct and could therefore be made. Ubi also referred to SRG's argument that by broadcasting another VGT commercial, Kessler had accepted the rejection of the other one. The complainant in turn rejects this and refers to email correspondence that proves the opposite.
 

On November 29, 2012, the second TV 2.0 Summit will take place in Zurich's Kaufleuten. Once again, opinion leaders and experts from the national and international TV scene will meet in Zurich to debate business models, strategies and marketing concepts in the TV business of the future, among other things, or to discuss which TV technologies will prevail in the future.

A highlight will be the international afternoon block. Lars Krüger, for example, will be one of the speakers from YouTube. He is at the forefront of TV development at the world's largest video portal. Youtube has just communicated the launch of the "Original Channels" in Germany and the optimization of Content ID - steps that let Youtube become a serious opponent of the classic TV stations in the fight for advertising money. "With speakers from Youtube, Samsung or even Bild.de, we deliberately want to look beyond the borders - the international orientation is important for Swiss media houses," explains Marco Demont, initiator of the TV 2.0 Summit.

According to the announcement, only a few tickets are still available for the TV 2.0 Summit 2012 (Tv2summit.ch).

 

Until recently, the Patà family had to run their goat farm under difficult conditions. Their home was much too small and far away from the goat barn. With the support of Berghilfe, the Patàs were able to build a house with a cheese dairy and store right next to the stable, the agency writes in a press release. Now the family can manage their hard work more easily and look to a secure future.

As a small thank you, the mailing includes an excursion map for the Verzasca Valley, which provides interesting insights into mountain life in the past and present. Incidentally, one of the hiking routes presented leads directly past the Patà family's new cheese store.

Responsible at Swiss Mountain Aid: Rudolf Streuli (donations), Ivo Torelli (communication). Responsible at Exxtra Kommunikation, Zurich: Dominik Oberwiler (ECD), Christoph Hänsli (AD), Julia Brandstätter (text), Edi Walker (consulting); Yannick Andrea, (photography); Winfried Kettler (panoramic map); Beat Wirz (text).