The search and information service Search.ch has massively improved the map material on the interactive map of Switzerland Map.search.ch. The aerial images are now based on images from the Federal Office of Topography Swisstopo. The most up-to-date images date back to 2006, as Search.ch announced. Part of the map has been digitally recorded and, according to Swisstopo, digital images of the whole of Switzerland should be available by 2010.ch has also optimized the scale of the zoom levels. This leads, for example, to better recognition of houses, pedestrian crossings, parking spaces and trees, as the Swiss Post Group company explains.
The new road map was created in-house using geographical information from various Swisstopo products and Teleatlas geosystem information. The resolution is the same as for the aerial photographs.
Webmasters and web developers who have implemented the Map.search.ch map on their website will receive the latest maps on their website.

 Do you know this? You're out with friends, chatting about God and the world, until a heated argument breaks out about whether Saturn or Jupiter is the planet with the ring. Of course, you could bet your bottom dollar on the correct answer and want to enlighten your ignorant counterpart immediately. But how can you do that when there is no access to the all-knowing Internet, including Wikipedia, anywhere near you? Brockhaus has now come up with a solution: after the encyclopaedia specialist has already gone online, it is now coming to cell phones in its entirety. Together with the software company Envi.con, it is launching a new mobile multimedia version of its reference work. According to the press release, it contains 300 videos, 700 audio files and 6,400 photos and illustrations. Brockhaus was already available for cell phones, but without pictures. However, the multimedia fun comes at a price and costs just under 50 euros. Hopefully there is something in it for all those for whom the Ring of Saturn can remain stolen.

 SRG presents its annual report for the past year. In terms of ratings, SR DRS can be pleased about an increase, while SF had to accept a decline. In terms of the financial result, however, television is in the black, while radio is posting a loss.SR DRS achieved a market share of 64.5%, a new record according to the SRG press release. Swiss television, on the other hand, achieved a market share of 33.5%, one percentage point less than in the previous year.
The financial result looks like this: SR DRS posted a loss of CHF 2.3 million. Operating income amounted to CHF 183.6 million and operating expenses to CHF 185.9 million. SF recorded a plus of CHF 2.8 million. Swiss Television ended the financial year with operating income of CHF 512.5 million, operating expenses of CHF 510.9 million and a financial result of CHF 1.2 million.
Overall, SRG is satisfied with the past year. Both SF and SR DRS had an innovative year in terms of programming and technology, according to the press release. SF launched the HD Suisse channel last year, SR DRS the info program DRS 4 News. SRG Deutschschweiz itself has revised its structures.
For SR-DRS Director Walter Rüegg, digital broadcasting is a major issue. He still considers the controversial DAB network to have a promising future and refers in the press release to the expansion of new distribution channels such as the Internet, podcasting and SMS. Last year, the relaunch of SR DRS's Internet offering was a key factor.
According to SF Director Ingrid Deltenre, SF has developed in line with its program strategy. In her eyes, the highlights of the past year included the national and Council of States elections under the motto "Decision 07". SF has also expanded its multimedia offering: many on-demand elements were added in 2007.
The Regional Council of SRG Deutschschweiz approved the 2007 annual report and financial statements at its meeting on Monday.

 Swisscom is not having an easy time with its planned mobile TV: first its partners backed out (see ), now it is facing problems from radiation opponents: The organization IG Gigaherz has lodged objections to the planned transmitters on the Zürichberg and Ulmizberg near Bern. The cantonal authorities have now granted these appeals suspensive effect, as reported by 20 Minuten. This means that the matter will be brought before the Federal Supreme Court, which could drag on. With the support of the population, IG Gigaherz also wants to take action against high-radiation installations in other places. This is a setback for Swisscom, which wanted to launch its mobile TV service by Euro 08. However, it is not discouraged: "Our aim remains to ensure the coverage stipulated in the concession in time for the start of Euro 08," spokeswoman Myriam Ziesack told the commuter newspaper. The service is still planned for the Euro 08 host cities of Berne, Basel, Zurich and Geneva.
Swisscom could try to get the cantons to lift the construction freeze on its transmitters. This would save the mobile TV project at the last minute.

 
The Council of States has rejected by 28 votes to 6 a limit on party spending on advertising before national elections. The majority of the small chamber said that an upper limit on advertising expenditure would be paternalistic and over-regulated. In January, the Committee of the Council of States had already rejected the limit (see: ). The corresponding parliamentary initiative by former member of the Council of States Pierre Bonhôte (SP/NE) is therefore off the table. Commission spokesman Rolf Büttiker (FDP/SO) did not deny the existence of "politically questionable boils" in election campaigns. However, Bonhôte's proposal does not provide a solution to this problem. The effort required for a check would be too great. He also said that voters could not be bought by campaigns. Büttiker considers election advertising to be ineffective.
On behalf of the minority, Liliane Maury Pasquier (SP/GE) said that transparency in party funding was necessary. Controls could certainly be introduced. This Jenny (SVP/GL) saw the motion as a tie-back mentality. The successful parties should be put on the chain. Maximilian Reimann (SVP/AG) accused the initiative of only focusing on election campaign budgets instead of advocacy journalism, which he accused the SRG of using for one-sided interviews and topics.
Bonhôte justified his parliamentary initiative by arguing that restricting spending on election advertising would be easier to implement than a limit on party donations. Because advertising is visible, it is easier to monitor.
 

The operators of the Help.ch search service are launching Aktuellenews.ch, a news site designed to provide quick information. It offers a colorful mix of media reports and press releases. Initiator Andy Rauch does not want to compete with Google News, as he told Werbewoche. Instead, the aim is to provide users with business news, publicity and service information such as the birthdays of celebrities.
Rauch now wants to test whether the unusual mix is well received by consumers: "The portal is a kind of trial balloon. We want to see how consumers like it. Incidentally, it is free for companies if their media release appears on Aktuellenews.ch. The articles are selected by a small editorial team.
The news on the portal comes from Swiss media. However, they are only touched upon on Aktuellenews.ch and linked to the website of the media in question. Rauch is therefore confident that the publishers will not take offense, as they did against Google News. He intends to seek contact with the media makers in the next few days. Incidentally, the news site is also represented in Germany (Aktuellenews.de) and Austria (Aktuellenews.at). An advertising campaign for the launch of the information site is not planned for the time being.

 
More advertisements were sold by the daily press in February: The Publicitas index rose by 0.2 points compared to January to 98.3 points. Commercial advertisements and the numerous supplements made a particular contribution to this growth. The major distributors, telecommunications companies and the tourism industry showed an increased presence in the press, as Publicitas announced on Tuesday evening, according to SDA. They had compensated for the decline in certain sectors, such as banks. More job advertisements were also placed. In addition, the occasional advertisements developed well, mainly thanks to political advertisements. According to Publicitas, only real estate advertisements showed a continuous decline. The real estate advertising index fell from 88.5 to 87.6 points in February.

 In February, advertising worth CHF 289.26 million was placed in Switzerland. This represents an increase of 11.7% compared to the same month last year, according to the latest figures from Media Focus. The biggest increase was recorded in the "consumer electronics, photo, film" advertising market, which grew by CHF 5.5 million or 57.9%. The lion's share of this growth is attributable to the photo and film industries. In February, cinema advertising worth CHF 2.8 million flickered across the screens. Apparently, the writers' strike in Hollywood has not yet had a negative impact on the advertising strategies of film distributors, as the authors of the Media Focus study write.
The beverage market also saw strong advertising in February. The increase amounted to CHF 2.2 million or 33.9%. Major events in connection with the European Football Championships benefited in particular. As much as 19 percent of gross advertising expenditure is related to this major event.
The IT sector, on the other hand, was less active. The sector recorded a drop of CHF 3.6 million or 48.3%. The "Finance" advertising market grew very slightly by 1.2%.

 After the successful comeback of the Klappe last year, the film competition of the Communications Association is now entering its second round with yet more new categories. Entries can be submitted from now until May 1. The jury chairman for another two years is Amir Kassaei from the DDB Group Germany. The categories have been expanded from five to a total of 12 creative disciplines such as directing, script, camera, editing, sound design and animation. "Due to the expansion of the creative spectrum, the Klappe offers moving image makers, especially in the new media, significantly more opportunities for submission! We want to promote creativity from German-speaking countries and expect to see even more creativity than in 2007," comments Amir Kassaei on this expansion of disciplines.
Also new is the organization of the Young Director Award, which is being offered for the first time in cooperation with the YDA (Young Director Award) Competition of the CFPE (Cannes Film Festival). Agencies, productions, companies and institutions wishing to take part in the Klappe can register at
log in.

 
Neue Lgk in Bern and Zurich has two new additions to its team: Aysun Sentürk, a planner in marketing communications, completes the consulting team. The Bernese brings with her a wealth of experience gained in agencies over the past few years. Mario Agostino is a trained communications manager and works as a consultant at Neue Lgk. He has twelve years of experience in the advertising industry - four years on the client side and eight years on the agency side. 

The marketing and communications department of Smile.direct is operating under new management. With immediate effect, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Swiss National Insurance Company will be managed by Claudia Staub in all communications matters. Staub was most recently employed by Credit Suisse Group as Senior Project Manager in the Private Banking division. She previously managed various marketing units in the areas of mortgages and pensions and worked for CS in New York.Smile.direct focuses on the direct sale of insurance solutions for private households. It employs 65 people at its Wallisellen location and has a premium volume of around CHF 40 million.

 The Goldbach Media company IP Multimedia (Switzerland) is marketing large screens in Switzerland during the European Football Championship. This includes the four official "Host City Public Viewings" in Basel, Bern, Geneva and Zurich. The broadcasts of a total of 27 matches will be shown on 15 large screens on 19 match days. This means that around 3.5 million football fans can be reached, according to IP Multimedia. Outside the four host cities, the marketer is also offering various special forms of advertising at ten other locations in Switzerland in addition to advertising customers on the big screens. These include sampling, product placement, sponsored competitions and other sales platforms.
IP Multimedia is also marketing the Publiscreen offering: The matches will be broadcast on large screens in around 1000 restaurants, bars and cafés in German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland and will be watched by an estimated 4.5 million visitors. Products and brands can also be integrated into the football experience there by means of promoters, sampling and demo shows.