Jörg Tobuschat, Member of the Management Board and Publishing Director of Program Guides at Axel Springer Switzerland, will also take over as Publishing Director for the entire Business Media division as of April 1, 2009. The 44-year-old succeeds Daniel Truttmann, who is leaving the company at the end of March to take up a new challenge.
According to a press release issued on Wednesday, there will also be a reorganization of advertising management in the business media publishing division. Musti Asaf is the new Head of the Stocks and Trade Magazines advertising market. As before, Sandra Bruderer will head up the Bilanz advertising market and Renato Oliva the Handelszeitung advertising market. The reader marketing of the business media will be merged under the management of Patrizia Serra, previously Head of Sales Marketing.
The Sales division will also be reorganized: Hansjörg Gerster, Head of Technical Services, will also take on the newly created position of Head of Sales Axel Springer Switzerland.

The pricing system introduced this year by Allgemeine Plakatgesellschaft APG has been very well received by the market, according to a press release issued by the company on Wednesday. Under the new pricing system, rates are calculated on the basis of the contact values generated by the individual billboards. The data from the SPR+ special study for the 27 largest stations is expected this year. Once the contact values have been incorporated into the planning software, the new pricing system will also be extended to the largest stations. The remaining stations as well as the shopping centers and parking facilities will also be the subject of the special study in a further step.
In addition, the updated edition of the APG poster booklet is now available. Under the title APG Posters: Target areas, offers and prices 2009-2, media planners, customers and other interested parties will find an overview of all APG poster networks, APG's overall offer, data on poster research, an intermedia comparison, tips on production and further information on the poster medium.

The third-largest Spanish daily newspaper ABC wants to reduce its workforce by more than half. The Vocento media group, whose flagship is the conservative Madrid newspaper, has applied to the social authorities to cut 238 of its 456 jobs, according to SDA. The cut was necessary to ensure the newspaper's viability, the company emphasized according to press reports on Wednesday. The aim is to adapt to market conditions.
ABC was the only major newspaper in Spain to increase its circulation significantly last year. The paper sold an average of 250,000 copies per day in 2008, ten percent more than in the previous year. However, advertising revenue fell drastically as a result of the economic crisis.
The works council announced that it would fight the planned job cuts "by all means". It will not enter into any negotiations with the company management. ABC is the third-largest daily newspaper in Spain after the left-liberal El País and the right-liberal El Mundo.

Maxomedia has won the pitch to become the new lead agency for Gatorade Switzerland against two competitors, the agency announced on Wednesday. Like Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana, Frito-Lay and Quaker, Gatorade is part of the Pepsico International family. The company has now also based its marketing in Switzerland. Pepsico International's communications campaign for the sports drink Gatorade will begin with a comprehensive promotion at points of sale and in fitness centers, starting in the spring. Further marketing activities can be expected in the course of the year.

Edipresse
Edipresse is the largest media group in French-speaking Switzerland. In view of the small market in French-speaking Switzerland, it expanded abroad from 1990, including to Spain, Greece, Eastern Europe, China and Southeast Asia.
Edipresse goes back to a publishing house founded in Lausanne in 1907, which produced the newspapers La Feuille d'Avis de Lausanne (since 1762) and La Tribune de Lausanne (1893). In the seventies of the 20th century, these newspapers became 24heures and Le Matin. In 1925, the publishing house came under the holding umbrella of Lousonna S.A. Between 1982 and 1988, the company was restructured under the management of Marc and Pierre Lamunière - Edipresse was born. In 2005, Edipresse launched the free newspaper Le Matin Bleu in response to Tamedia's 20 Minutes. It also acquired stakes in several Internet platforms such as Swissfriends.ch, Jobups.ch and Homegate.ch.
Today, Edipresse publishes over 200 newspapers, magazines and websites around the world. The company employs over 3,000 people - more than half of them abroad. In 2007, the Group generated a profit of CHF 32.3 million on sales of just under CHF 815 million in Switzerland and abroad. Last year, Edipresse was hit hard by the global economic crisis and the job market collapsed. The company imposed austerity measures and cut 50 jobs.

Tamedia
The Zurich-based media group Tamedia is now the largest media company in Switzerland alongside Ringier. It emerged from the Tagesanzeiger, founded in 1893, which the Coninx publishing family turned into one of Switzerland's largest daily newspapers.
The founding fathers were the German newspaper publisher Wilhelm Girardet and the former NZZ editor Fritz Walz. At the beginning of the 20th century, editor Otto Coninx gradually took over a majority stake in the company. In contrast to the NZZ, the Tagesanzeiger appealed to a broad audience and was the largest subscribed daily newspaper in Switzerland just three years after its launch. In 1933, the publishing house took over the Schweizer Familie. In 1964, the Tagi was the first daily newspaper in Switzerland to introduce early delivery. In the sixties and seventies, it presented itself as a left-liberal alternative to the bourgeois NZZ, a course that was particularly evident in the magazine founded in 1970.
In addition, the Tagesanzeiger increasingly focused on the Zurich region - for example with the nightlife magazine Züritipp (1982) or its entry into the local television station Tele Züri. Since the 1980s, the company has gradually expanded its market position in the Swiss media landscape. In 2008, Tamedia also invested in various Internet platforms such as Jobwinner, Alpha and Homegate. In the same year, it launched the online portal Newsnetz together with other newspapers.
Tamedia currently has over 1,600 employees. In 2007, the company generated annual sales of CHF 772 million and a profit of CHF 143 million.

The Marketing Trophy was awarded on March 3, 2009 as part of the Swiss Marketing Day. The event was held under the title "The price is hot - intelligent pricing as a strategic success factor" at the KKL in Lucerne. The event was moderated by Stefan Klapproth. A total of eleven companies were nominated for the award. The jury of nine experts, led by jury president Marco Bernasconi, awarded gold four times.

Category large enterprises
British American Tobacco Switzerland won in the large company category with the care of the Parisienne brand, for which a strong smoker community was formed. The award was presented by Swiss Post. Also nominated were the design concept of Muller Martini Marketing, a company active in print finishing, and the Swiss importer Fiat Group with the launch of the new Fiat 500.

Medium-sized company category
The Directory assistance 1818 won in the medium-sized company category. It succeeded in surpassing the high level of awareness of Swisscom's directory assistance service with one of the most successful product launches in recent years, establishing 1818 as a cult brand. The award was presented by the software company Sage Switzerland. Also nominated was Sanitized, a company active in antimicrobial hygiene and material protection, which was praised for its marketing strategy as well as its brand design.

Category Small Business
In the category of small companies received "100jetzt - the solar roof program for municipalities". the Trophy. The campaign enabled important partnerships to be forged. In the same category, the marketing strategy of Klug Krankenversicherung was nominated, as was Bagno Sasso, a Landquarter-based company that was able to develop into an international player by targeting the high-price segment and using innovative product design. Also nominated was the pet food manufacturer Kellas Natural Cat Food, which was able to position its cat food range in the high-price segment.

Non Profit Organizations (NPO)
WWF Switzerland won in the category of non-profit organizations. WWF Switzerland succeeded in motivating people and highlighting opportunities for action to combat climate change with its climate campaign, which was continued in 2008. The award was presented by Dr. W. A. Günther Mediarent. Also nominated was the Swiss travel fund Reka, which was able to realize a close link between tourism and the host region with the Reka vacation village in Urnäsch.

Audience Award
With over 50 percent of the votes, the audience award went to the Reka vacation village of Reka Switzerland, which was nominated in the category of non-profit organizations.

On Monday, March 2, 2009, the 1st Valais Media Prize was awarded in German, French, Italian and English. The aim is to recognize outstanding articles and reports about Valais. The prizes, each worth CHF 5,000, were presented by Urs Zenhäusern, President of the Valais Information Office and Director of Valais Tourism.
More than 50 pieces of work written about Valais and published between March 1 and October 31, 2008 were evaluated. With the journalism prize, the Valais Information Office aims to provide an incentive to take a closer look at the Alpine canton.

The winners in the individual categories are:
German
Beat Stauffer for his article "In the 'buffer zone' between the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc" (NZZ, October 30, 2008)
French
Laurent Missbauer for his article "Le Haut-Valais - des pionniers de l'hôtellerie" (Sports et loisirs, April 2008)
Italian
Alessandra Bonzi for her contribution "Edelweiss - La stella alpina" (RTSI, April 1, 2008)
English
Josephine Matyas for her contribution "Slowly does it through the Alps" (Toronto Star, June 14, 2008)

Caption (from left to right): Laurent Missbauer (French), Julia Guran (German, 2nd prize winner; Beat Stauffer, 1st prize winner, absent), Urs Zenhäusern (Director of Valais Tourism), Alessandra Bonzi (Italian), Josephine Matyas (English).

The international organization Reporters Without Borders is expanding its presence in German-speaking Switzerland with a coordination office in Zurich. Georg A. Hildebrand, owner and managing director of Hildebrand Unternehmenskommunikation and former SRG consultant, has been appointed head of the branch office. The aim is to further intensify contact with the editorial offices of the Swiss-German media and to increasingly draw attention to the concerns of the international organization - the defence of freedom of the press and information - with concrete campaigns.
Since 2007, the Swiss section of Reporters Without Borders, which has its headquarters in Geneva, has been increasingly present in German-speaking Switzerland: the organization is supported by the Swiss Media Ball and the Zurich communications agency Frey Communications, among others.

Federal Councillor Leuenberger: Media landscape should benefit from merger
Federal Councillor Moritz Leuenberger appeals to Tamedia to assume its responsibilities. A takeover in the media industry always involves the risk of losing diversity. The Zurich publishing house therefore has a responsibility. In a written statement on Tuesday, Leuenberger called on Tamedia not to compromise on journalistic quality.
The head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) also wants Tamedia to maintain the different media cultures of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland. The merger also opens up opportunities: Tamedia's size gives it the means to improve the further training of journalists and to send its own correspondents abroad. Only if this potential is utilized can the Swiss media landscape benefit from the merger.
Tages-Anzeiger editorial team: Completely surprised
The takeover of Edipresse by Tamedia came as a complete surprise to the editorial team of the Tages-Anzeiger (TA). Even according to rumors, such a step had never been an issue, said Ignaz Staub, representative of the TA personnel commission, when asked. The TA personnel committee had therefore not even had time to discuss the takeover. Such a merger had never been brought up before (today's) Tuesday.
The question now arises as to what this step means for TA, Staub continued. In a negative scenario, the former Tamedia flagship could become just one of many newspapers. Conversely, it is also conceivable that Tamedia would want to establish itself with one flagship in French-speaking Switzerland and one in German-speaking Switzerland after the merger. This would then be TA and Le Temps in French-speaking Switzerland.
Ringier: De facto nothing changes
Tamedia's competitor Ringier did not wish to comment further on the takeover of Edipresse on Tuesday. Group spokesman Marco Castellaneta explained that de facto nothing would change for Ringier for the time being. Almost the same titles and the same other media are on the market as before, said Castellaneta. Ringier is therefore taking note of the merger, but will refrain from commenting.
NZZ: "Drumbeat", but no cause for concern
Albert P. Stäheli, Managing Director of AG für die Neue Zürcher Zeitung, is not worried about the takeover of Edipresse. The NZZ Group will become an even more important cooperation partner for Swiss-German newspaper publishers as a result, he said on request. Nevertheless, Stäheli speaks of a "drumbeat" in the media landscape. In particular, he could imagine that the takeover of Edipresse by Tamedia would trigger sensitivities in French-speaking Switzerland, and that it would be the first time that a national newspaper company had been created in the daily press sector. This is an important step in journalistic terms.
FDP: Independence of the Swiss press increasingly under threat
The parties react skeptically to the takeover of Edipresse by Tamedia.
They complain about an increasing loss of media diversity in Switzerland. The FDP, CVP and SP also expect the Competition Commission to scrutinize the takeover. "The merger will create a very large group", FDP President Fulvio Pelli told the news agency SDA on Tuesday.
Although he cannot anticipate the decision of the Competition Commission (COMCO), he believes that the independence of the Swiss press is increasingly under threat as a result. Cartels and monopolies are bad for Switzerland. He therefore expects a "thorough investigation" into the merger.
SP: Appeal to Tamedia not to merge editorial offices
For SP President Christian Levrat, the takeover is "a major step in the concentration of the Swiss media". COMCO must therefore review the deal. Approval is anything but certain. "Tamedia is slowly dominating the Swiss newspaper market", Levrat told the news agency SDA.
If the deal goes through, Levrat hopes that there will be no redundancies. He also appeals to Tamedia not to merge editorial teams. The media market in French-speaking Switzerland works differently to that in German-speaking Switzerland. A merger would therefore be tantamount to scoring an own goal, said Levrat.
CVP: Concentration on Zurich
CVP President Christophe Darbellay is also eagerly awaiting the competition authority's decision. He also fears for media diversity. The three major publishing houses are now all based in Zurich. This is particularly regrettable for French-speaking Switzerland, he said. The Valais native rejects increased state involvement in the Swiss press. "The state must remain subsidiary," he said. Above all, the state must endeavor to guarantee competition.
SVP: Critical journalism suffers
SVP President Toni Brunner also does not see the state as having a duty. Politics cannot stop developments on the market. Nevertheless, he regrets the concentration in the media industry. "Critical journalism is suffering in this uniform mash," said Brunner. "Journalism that is sympathetic to the Federal Council and loyal to the majority will continue to grow," Brunner said with conviction.
Imprint: Media diversity put to the test
The media unions are concerned about the announced takeover of Edipresse in French-speaking Switzerland by Zurich-based Tamedia. They are calling for the collective labor agreement (CLA) in force in French-speaking Switzerland to be respected. The Impressum union is particularly concerned about the announced merger of the two French-speaking commuter newspapers Le Matin bleu and 20 Minutes. Before jobs are cut here, the employees have the right to be involved according to the CLA, said Impressum Managing Director Urs Thalmann on request.
However, possible job losses are only one of Thalmann's concerns. Once again, media diversity is being put to the test - to an unprecedented extent. Thalmann expects the Tamedia Group to do justice to the social partnership. In contrast to Edipresse, the Zurich publishing house has recently made no effort to do so at either association or company level.
Comedia: Unhealthy monopoly
The media union Comedia rejects the takeover outright. The resulting
A media and print monopoly is unhealthy, said Co-President Roland Kreuzer on request. Comedia will seek talks with Tamedia and Edipresse. A recommendation will be made to the Competition Commission and the Federal Council to reject the merger. It is also unacceptable for such a monopolistic group to be subsidized by radio and TV fees. From a regional political perspective, Kreuzer is also concerned about the takeover: it would create a group that would exert influence from Zurich into French-speaking Switzerland.
Politicians from French-speaking Switzerland: independence of the French-speaking press under threat
The takeover of Edipresse by Tamedia is causing concern among politicians in French-speaking Switzerland. They see the independence of the French-speaking press under threat. The takeover undoubtedly represents a potential risk for an independent press in French-speaking Switzerland, said Lausanne Mayor Daniel Brélaz when asked. Zurich could soon come to the conclusion that there are too many newspapers on the small French-speaking Swiss market.
If the new media group then makes agreements with the French publisher Hersant, there will be even less space for other media. There is therefore a risk of cultural loss. Pascal Broulis, Vaud's Finance Director, also spoke of bad news in the Grand Council on Tuesday. The press landscape is once again losing diversity. However, Broulis is also concerned because the media are a good indicator of the state of the economy. The takeover shows that the economic crisis is permanent.

The agency at the airport was commissioned by the pharmaceutical company Globopharm to develop and implement a communication concept for its hair loss treatment Asatex. The first measures will be seen shortly.
Globopharm specializes in pharmaceutical distribution. The company has been part of the Galenica Group since the beginning of 2009.

Charles Muller has commissioned the Zeta agency to develop a holistic visual identity and various communication measures. The new image is intended to communicate the company's great tradition, sense of style, quality and contemporary fashion.
The almost 100-year-old traditional company is an internationally active hat factory based in Nänikon in the canton of Zurich and employs around 50 people.