The two-day congress of the Swiss Press Publishers Association, which is being held in Montreux this year under the motto "Médias sans frontières", began with today's general meeting. Around 400 industry representatives attended the annual meeting, according to a statement from the association. They are particularly keen to promote freedom of the press. However, association president Lebrument spoke out clearly against a CLA.
Firstly, the members of Schweizer Presse decided to rename the previous "Department of Ethics" as the "Department of Journalism". This is intended to better express the fact that publishers want to take greater journalistic responsibility in future. It is also fitting that publishers have recently been represented on the Press Council - a fact that was welcomed at the members' meeting.
The association was able to show its members that it is in a solid financial position and also presented a wide range of tasks and services that it intends to provide for the industry in the coming year. This also includes two projects, which were presented in particular.
Schweizer Presse has been involved in generic marketing for many years, including the well-known image campaign "Only an advertisement can do that" and the biannual subscription competitions. In addition to this, a broad-based cross-media campaign for reading newspapers and magazines is now to be carried out.
Freedom of the press is particularly important to the association. "Free commercial communication is the basis of free media," it emphasized in its press release on Thursday evening. It is therefore committed to opposing further restrictions on freedom of advertising. Together with other Swiss communication associations, it intends to form an action alliance. Association President Hanspeter Lebrument has announced an incendiary speech on this topic for Friday. The main topic will be dependence on the state and its regulations.
No collective labor agreement for journalists
In the run-up to the congress, the journalists' organizations impressum and comedia had demanded that the publishers' association negotiate a collective employment contract (CEC). The association terminated this in August 2004. A CLA exists in French-speaking Switzerland.
Publisher President Hanspeter Lebrument reiterated that there was no urgency for a new CLA. By joining the Press Council, the ethics body of the Swiss media, the publishers approved the "Declaration of Duties and Rights of Journalists".
It also provides for a collective employment contract as a right. The publishers' association interprets this more narrowly, said Lebrument. The association recognizes the right of journalists to a social partnership, but denies a contract for the entire industry.

A fake newspaper distributed anonymously to the publishers (see pictures) had reported that the association was now suddenly in favor of a CLA and thus allegedly caused the most discussion in Montreux on Thursday. The masthead of the newspaper, called Montreux Flash, lists only one author: Gavrilo A. Kollectinovic, abbreviation: gav. Humor to our taste.

Google is keeping its head down. In an interview with the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper, Urs Hölzle, one of the vice presidents, massively downplayed expectations for the newly developed Chrome browser. "If we achieve a market share of one percent with Chrome, that would be a great success. For us, the focus is on better use of the Internet, i.e. greater stability and speed," said Hölzle. The company still lives by the motto "Do no evil", but is aware that it not only solves problems, but is itself part of the problem. "We are committed to developing more efficient technologies," Hölzle continued.
Two days ago, the Swiss data protection authority advised internet users to be well informed about the new Chrome browser. If too many applications such as e-mails, internet browsers or search engines are used from the same provider, it is questionable in terms of data protection, said Daniel Menna, spokesman for the Federal Data Protection Commissioner.
The German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) also advised caution. However, the office primarily criticized Google for advertising the completely new browser directly on its own homepage without warning of the dangers that a beta version entails.
It is questionable to offer the public a beta version without appropriate cautionary notes in such an "effective promotional positioning", BSI spokesperson Matthias Gärtner told the online platform Golem.de. After all, browsers are key components for sensitive applications, such as online banking or shopping on the Internet, Gärtner continued.

The Maxomedia agency, based in Bern and Zurich, has realized a campaign for the online trading company Swissquote. Based on the motto "Trading. Self-made", the subjects on advertisements and banners show Swissquote employees as Stone Age people of the species Homo Self Tradus. But instead of cult paintings, they draw a stock market curve on the canvas - Homo Self Tradus is exceptionally clever, according to the press release; he trades independently on the stock market and trusts his instincts.

Radio 1 is expanding its editorial content. The number of information contributions between 7 and 8 a.m., 12 and 1 p.m. and between 5 and 6 p.m. will be increased from Friday, as the private broadcaster announced. In addition, the program "The Day in 5 Minutes" will be introduced at 6 pm. It will feature the most exciting stories with the best original sounds of the day. The program will be presented by evening presenter David Karasek.

Lucerne-based agency Premotion is expanding its management team. Partners Pedro Llopart, Sacha Johann and Martin Koch will be joined by Sandra Bütler and Sacha Willemsen, according to a statement. Bütler was most recently communication manager in the corporate business of Zurich Insurance, Willemsen was marketing manager of the clothing retailer Companys.
The agency is also expanding its area of activity. In addition to the Events & Promotion division, the strategic business areas Marketing & Communication, People Management & Development, and E-Commerce & Merchandising will now also be handled.

The Valencia Kommunikation agency has won the pitch for Coop Supercard against three competitors and brought the budget to Basel. According to a press release issued on Thursday, the measures to be implemented include the rewards catalog, seasonal brochures, various advertisements, direct mailings and POS material.
The first work is planned for the beginning of 2009.

Mediasense's goal was and is to simplify the handling and processing of national radio advertising in Switzerland. Since entering the market in July 2007, Mediasense's main task has been to introduce the Publiplan online booking system for national radio advertising. This first phase has now been successfully completed and all Swiss radio stations can be booked via Mediasense using Publiplan.
In this first phase, Publisuisse, with its many years of expertise in marketing electronic media and its media logistics, was an indispensable partner for the Mediasense start-up. As Mediasense announced on Thursday during Radio Day, the private radio stations in the Radio Pool will take the lead for the second development phase. The majority of shares will therefore be transferred from Publisuisse to the radio stations of the Swiss Radio Pool. This was announced by Mediasense in a panel discussion led by Werbewoche editor-in-chief Pierre C. Meier.
Mediasense also intends to open up the shareholder structure to other private radio stations. As a result, Mediasense will become the processing and marketing organization for the private radio stations participating in the shareholder structure.
In addition to handling and processing national radio advertising, Mediasense is now also focusing on the development of products that allow national advertising clients more flexibility in the design of radio advertising and thus make radio advertising more attractive overall. As before, Mediasense's declared main objective is to "promote radio as an advertising medium with attractive products in close cooperation with media agencies, intermediaries and private radio stations".

Italian satirist Sabina Guzzanti is to stand trial for a verbal attack on the Pope. The Roman public prosecutor's office has requested the opening of a trial against the well-known cabaret artist, who said at a demonstration against the Berlusconi government at the beginning of July that Mr. Joseph Alois Ratzinger, alias Pope Benedict XVI, would be tortured by "devils and faggots" in hell in 20 years' time.
The cabaret artist must answer for defamation of a head of state, as the Pope could be equated with a head of state, according to the Roman public prosecutor's office. Guzzanti is therefore facing a prison sentence of up to five years.
Following the demonstration in Rome, the diocese of Rome issued a short statement expressing "deep regret for the insulting words" against Benedict XVI. The Catholic daily Avvenire had spoken of a "shabby performance" in an editorial.
The 45-year-old Guzzanti has become a star thanks to her satirizations of head of government Silvio Berlusconi. In her shows, the quick-change artist usually slips into the role of Berlusconi, occasionally also impersonating his rival. Let's put it this way: her path to Italian television is probably now blocked.

Federal Councillor Moritz Leuenberger criticized the "monoculture of local radio stations" in Zurich on Thursday. There is not much left of the ideals of the former radio pirates, the Communications Minister stated at this year's RadioDay.
In his speech on "25 years of private radio in Switzerland", the head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) lamented the "uniformity of radio programs", according to SDA. Leuenberger was taking part in RadioDay for the first time, which was held for the ninth time this year.
25 years ago, it was hoped that local radio stations would lead to a better supply of regional information, encourage participation in politics and increase journalistic and cultural diversity, said Leuenberger.
25 years later, the scene had long since domesticated itself without official intervention. Most of the local radio stations were producing standardized majority programs, pre-packaged by the music computer.
Viewing figures are not everything
Radio is an accompanying medium. But it has no future as a mere sprinkler system. Local radio stations that receive license fee money must provide a regional public service with relevant information on culture and society, politics, business and sport in their region.
Audience ratings and advertising revenue should not be the only driving force, emphasized Leuenberger. If the former pirates of the airwaves were to become gardeners who merely cultivated their acoustic monocultures because of the new subsidies, this would sooner or later lead to radiophonic collapse and a major radio extinction.
As Environment Minister, he hopes that the new performance mandate for private radio stations will result in "flourishing biodiversity". "I would like to see the fresh, flexible and cheeky spirit of the pirate era back," emphasized the Uvek boss.
DRS Musikwelle and Rete 3 awarded
DRS Musikwelle for German-speaking Switzerland and Rete 3 for Latin Switzerland were named Radios of the Year 2008 on RadioDay. The prize, endowed with CHF 10,000, has been awarded since 2002.
The two stations recorded the highest increase in listeners in the entire Swiss radio landscape, according to the organizers. Roger Schawinski was also recognized for his efforts in the early years of the private radio scene.
The annual Radio Day is organized by SRG, the Association of Swiss Private Radio Stations (VSP) and Publica Data, which is active in audience research.

The Neue Lgk agency, based in Bern and Zurich, has implemented immediate measures to recruit members for the Swiss Center for Telemedicine, Medgate. With the fall vacation season approaching, Medgate wants to raise awareness that its doctors in Switzerland can be reached from anywhere. Neue Lgk is promoting this through ads in the magazine *Beobachter*, supported by online initiatives.
Responsible at Medgate: Cédric Berset (Head of Marketing, Communications & Sales), Dorotea Ganser (Marketing Communications). Person in charge at the new Lgk: André Benker (CD), Reto Schild, Samuel Diehl (AD), Andreas Szentkuti (Text), Silvano Spezia, Gabriela Kammermann (Consulting).

The planned advertising partnership between the internet giants Yahoo and Google is now drawing the attention of antitrust regulators. According to the SDA, following the U.S. Department of Justice, the California Attorney General is now also reviewing the agreement.
Attorney General Jerry Brown has not yet launched an investigation, but is having the Department of Justice provide him with documents related to the case, the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Thursday. Google and Yahoo have a combined market share of about 90 percent in the United States.
Yahoo announced its partnership with Google in June, following Microsoft's failed takeover bid. Starting in late September, the market leader is set to place its ads on some Yahoo websites in the U.S. and Canada.
Google currently generates the highest revenue per ad. The companies plan to split the revenue. According to industry reports, Yahoo could earn $800 million a year from this arrangement. Critics fear that this will weaken competition in the online advertising market and, as a result, lead to higher advertising prices.

The Swiss people smoke, they are too fat, they drink too much, they consume food that contains too much sugar and dangerous trans fats. They drive cars that are too heavy - off-roaders even with aggressive front ends - that consume too much fuel and harm the environment.
Our society is increasingly characterized by an abstruse need for security. Everything should be regulated. The state is supposed to fix it. The state is supposed to be responsible for the physical and psychological integrity of the masses, called the population. Everything that is unhealthy or potentially dangerous should be restricted or banned. More and more advertising bans are threatening. The regulations on what can be said in advertising and in what form will become increasingly rigid in the future.
Moralizers and politicians addicted to profiling form an unholy alliance to protect the population from their behavior. Personal responsibility is not an issue; people must be forced to be happy.
That this is not a specifically Swiss problem is shown by the latest initiative of the EU Parliament. This week, it decided that advertising that cements gender stereotypes is discriminatory and sexist and should therefore be banned.
Further advertising bans or restrictions will come our way. Because some fool who wants to make a name for himself will always find a way to do so. Be it in Brussels or in Bern.
Media live or survive because of advertising. This applies not only to the free press, which is on the upswing, but also to the paid press. A newspaper subscription that would have to compensate for the lack of advertising revenue would be x times more expensive than it is today. That is a fact. So freedom for advertising should actually be the publishers' highest goal.
In any other industry, there would be a fight. Sharp protest notes would be written. People would try to fight the looming threat. But what does the media industry do? Nothing. On the contrary. Instead of fighting clearly and uncompromisingly against the current and future advertising bans, it goes underground. Where are the flaming articles for economic and advertising freedom?
One of the most important tasks of the press is to highlight grievances. It does that in a great many cases. It analyzes political decisions and raps politicians on the knuckles. Only in this area of advertising bans and restrictions does an inexplicable reluctance to bite afflict the media. It's like being ashamed to stand up for something that secures your own existence. There is probably no industry that is so stupid as not to support the branch that allows it to survive.
Pierre C. Meier, Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]