Regional TV The new TV distribution areas of Basel and Berne are benefiting disproportionately. Although stations can be operated there to cover costs. 
This can be seen when comparing the future fee shares for 13 regional TVs with the reported finances of the current broadcasters. This summer, the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) put 13 regional TV licenses out to tender, some with completely new broadcasting areas - including the corresponding performance mandates and future fee shares. Interested parties have until December 5 to apply. The licenses will be awarded by DETEC from spring 2008. Those who receive a TV license will not only receive a share of the fee pot, but also privileged access to the local cable networks (must-carrier rule) and, where these are lacking, to DVB-T frequencies for terrestrial broadcasting. Previously, this was different: small broadcasters, often in peripheral areas, received a share of the fee. And there was no obligation for cable network operators to switch on the channels.
The situation looks comparatively comfortable for the 13 future licensees, as they have a total of CHF 31.4 million at their disposal - around five times more than in 2006, when CHF 6.5 million was paid out to 17 local TV stations. However, most of these fee recipients have no chance in the future distribution of funds unless they join forces with others and jointly fulfill the performance mandate defined for the broadcasting area. This is likely to be the case in Vaud, where several small broadcasters want to join forces under the leadership of Edipresse to form Vaud TV.
It is obvious that, despite more money, there are not happy faces everywhere. At this point, however, we do not want to ask about the degree of (dis)satisfaction, but rather examine what the large regional broadcasters and the previously fee-supported television providers have already been able to attract from their regions into the medium of regional and local television. The basis for this information is, on the one hand, the fee money awarded by OFCOM for 2005 (a total of CHF 6.2 million) and, in parallel, the published 2005 annual accounts of the various broadcasters (the 2006 annual accounts are not yet available).
Geneva profiteersInteresting fact: Based on the new distribution areas, only the Basel region has so far had to manage without any fee splitting at all. In all other areas, there were already fee recipients. This also applies to Geneva: although Canal 29 came away empty-handed in 2005, the broadcaster received small amounts in 2004 and 2006 (CHF 331 and 5738 respectively). Measured against this, the Geneva region benefits the most from the new fee distribution: It now receives 324 times more fee money than before. The Vaud-Fribourg region, where five broadcasters previously received almost CHF 1.6 million, fared the worst. This means that the share of fees there will now only double.
But beware, such comparisons are only permissible if the new performance mandates are included. This is shown by the example of Schaffhausen: At first glance, it appears as if the new Zurich-North-Eastern Switzerland region receives seven times more money than was previously distributed for Schaffhausen TV. But this is not the case. This is because Bakom now stipulates two transmission windows there - one for Schaffhausen and one for Thurgau. As a result, the amount for Schaffhausen is only tripled, while the Thurgau regional TV audience will be able to enjoy fee-financed private TV broadcasts for the first time ever. Incidentally, the new regions of Valais and Biel (edition: bilingual), Waadt-Freiburg (window for Freiburg) and Südostschweiz (window for Glarus) also have similar performance mandates.
Tele Ostschweiz highly loss-makingThe fact that the Zurich-North-Eastern Switzerland region has been the most profitable for the medium of private TV is no surprise - but the extent is. The three stations domiciled in this area generated a total turnover of just under CHF 18 million in 2005. Even if one deducts the deficits of Tele Top and Schaffhausen TV and, in the case of the latter, the share of fees included in the turnover, this still leaves CHF 16.7 million, which was largely generated from advertising revenue, spot productions, publicity reports and sponsorship. The Eastern Switzerland region, on the other hand, raises question marks. Although the region does not appear to be very productive for private TV, there are still three, and with Tele Top even four, providers operating there. And all of them are in the red. But it is above all the bill from Tele Ostschweiz that gives pause for thought: The broadcaster spends twice as much as it earns.
What is also striking is that the future fee share of over CHF 2.2 million each for the Basel and Bern regions is comparatively generous. This is because there is a broadcaster in both regions that is in the black even without fee splitting. In addition, the future licensee does not have to fulfil any special performance mandates there. So why so much extra money? In any case, quality improvements hardly justify this level of support. The generosity should therefore probably be seen more as a signal that the federal government would actually like to see a competing broadcaster in these regions. Especially as it can be assumed that Tele Bärn and Tele Basel, like Tele Züri, would - and could - continue to broadcast even without a license, fee money and the must-carry rule.
Markus Knöpfli
Calculation of the new fee sharesFakom calculated the individual fee shares as follows: A basic amount covers production costs that are largely independent of the region and covers specific services such as program windows.
The second part of the fee share takes into account the special features of the respective coverage area and is calculated on the basis of location-specific factors such as population figures, data on the economic structure and the competitive situation. These factors reflect the economic conditions for the operation of a TV station in the coverage area. For the medium TV, OFCOM weights the basic amount and the economic factors in a ratio of 60:40.
The fixed fee amounts are intended to give future broadcasters a certain amount of leeway for development, but are basically fixed for the next five years. In the end, a fee share of 50 percent and, in exceptional cases, 70 percent per broadcaster is permitted. (mk)

 
Insurance company Wirz shows sporty exuberance with a cheeky freestyle ad for Mobijeunes. 
When the major event Freestyle.ch takes place from September 21 - 23 on the Landiwiese in Zurich, Mobijeunes, the youth insurance of Mobiliar, will also make its grand appearance. Where skateboarders, snowboarders, freeskiers and FMX riders meet, Wirz Werbung shows in a tongue-in-cheek way what "shit happens" is all about. In the run-up to the event, three print subjects will be used in which CD Matthias Freuler and his team wittily demonstrate what sucks even more than a bus under the windshield wiper, namely "having a claw on your wheel.
Around these ideas, a commercial can be seen on MTV and Viva in which Martin Winkler, Europe's best-known fingerboarder, demonstrates what happens when a toaster suddenly gets in the way while fingerboarding at the breakfast table. The spot was directed by Tobias Weber. It was produced by Wirz & Fraefel.
At the event itself, several FMX bikes will be parked on the grounds, all of which will be wearing an eye-catching claw around the front wheel, and a stunt driver will demonstrate that, if need be, you can also ride on just one wheel, i.e. with a claw. The biggest jinx of the three-day event will be awarded the newly created "Shit-happens-Award", and at the Mobiliar stand visitors can marvel at the tricks of the best fingerboarders.
Andreas Panzeri

 
Event The VDS Prepress Switzerland specialist group, Association of Prepress Switzerland (PPS), will be holding the Publishing Forum for the second time on November 27 at the Kongresshaus Biel. 
The event will focus on the topics of color management and automation. To what extent is a color proof really binding in the digital work process, which criteria are relevant, and where are these standards defined in the process? This is just one of many questions to which top-class speakers at the congress want to provide answers. In the foyer of the Congress Center, manufacturers and suppliers will be giving product presentations on the tools that media production companies can use to control their processes, optimize data and manage processes.Evaluation of proofsIn the morning, Erwin Widmer, Florian Süssl, Eddy Senn and Stephan Jaeggi will be presenting facts on the evaluation of proofs, current standards, the correct setting of data and the PDF workflow with media-neutral data on the topics of color management and standardization in accordance with ISO 12647. In the afternoon, Bernd Zipper, technology and strategy consultant from Germany, will give an overview of the new publishing possibilities opened up by "web-to-print" in his presentation. He will not only discuss current solutions, but will also venture to look "beyond the end of his nose" and present his vision of future publishing. Stephan Jaeggi uses a practical example to demonstrate the current possibilities of automation.
Technical presentations subject to a feeAccess to the product presentations of the manufacturer and supplier forms is free, admission to the technical presentations is subject to a fee. The seminar pass (including presentations and refreshments during breaks) costs 280 Swiss francs, for VSD members 180 Swiss francs (prices plus VAT). It also includes admission to the product presentation in the foyer of the Congress Center. The latest information on the presentations at the Publishing Forum 07 will be provided in German and French, and all seminar documents will be available to participants on the Internet after the event.
Sabine Flaxman
More information about the

 
Magazine The Swiss family wants to prevent difficult market forecasts and consolidate its position with a facelift and website. 
Since the turn of the millennium, the Swiss family has recorded significant growth in sales, subscriptions, reach and - for the last four years - also in the advertising market, according to those responsible. Time for a relaunch: "The good position in the reader and advertising market is the best moment for a design renewal," says SF Editor-in-Chief Daniel Dunkel. Art director Carmen Zanin, who is responsible for the redesign, has also made changes to the logo and removed the outdated "Spickel" in the title Schweizer Familie. For Dunkel, this is tantamount to saying goodbye to an era, and although the aim is to stick to the tried-and-tested SF fare in terms of content, a few changes have been considered to make the traditional magazine the most beautiful in Switzerland. The first thing that catches the eye is the generous visual language, in part with double-page photos and elaborate photo spreads. In terms of content, there are also new sections. Writer Milena Moser ("Die Putzfraueninsel") kicks off the magazine with a weekly column, and Aargau writer Alex Capus provides an exclusive historical series from the days of Madame Tussaud (a Swiss woman whose famous wax museum in London was merely the culmination of her career). The "Picture of the Week" is a Swissized section cribbed from Der Spiegel for surprising images of life in this country. For "Vereint im Verein" in the front section of the magazine, clubs that are as exotic as possible are invited to be portrayed and then, according to the marketing idea behind it, start to take a collective interest in the publication. The potential readership in Switzerland as a club country is probably inexhaustible.
Grossomodo remains true to its name and is therefore a classic family magazine. Unlike other publications, it explicitly excludes darker topics, sex and crime. "We want to offer our audience pleasurable, not gloomy, hours of reading and show the positive side of life," says Dunkel. In contrast to Schweizer Illustrierte from Ringier, which is dedicated to the rich and beautiful with a voyeuristic approach, Schweizer Familie is at home in the world of its readers.
However, the relaunch is also intended to prevent less optimistic forecasts for the future. Although the Swiss family is in good health, various indicators point to a growth trap: An ageing readership, falling renewal rates and rising subscription acquisition costs. A corresponding study has identified the 40 to 50-year-old "mainstreamers" (profile: domestic, conformist, conventional in behavior, sentimental, passive and habit-driven) as growth potential for the paper. So far, they have been deterred from reading it by the old logo, the name and the staid design. "If we don't do anything today, we'll have a problem with people under 45," says Daniel Dunkel.
 
The battle for this group is already raging, he says, referring to the Beobachter's increased focus on families (see page 17). The makers are also addressing this issue with a new Internet platform. With tips and services (also in cooperation with suitable partners), the aim is to bring together a growing number of interested people on the core topics of travel and leisure. In the medium term, it is hoped that actual communities will form on various topics and that the Swiss family on the Internet will develop into a community platform. "We want to start small with a forum," says Dunkel. The site was launched on September 20 on a trial and error basis.
René Worni
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No risk for the Schweizer family

 
TV If you want to know what the future of electronic media looks like, you have to go to Screen-up & congress 07 on October 17. The advertising campaign by Cavegn-Werbung is fully focused on the USP of the knowledge advantage that media people receive at this trade fair. A glimpse into the future does not mean esoteric dreaming, but a hard-hitting business advantage that should be secured. With this in mind, a key visual has been created showing a businessman with a third eye. The third eye traditionally looks into the future and therefore becomes the symbol of the industry preview Screen-up 07. Stylistically, Julien Vonier's photography is deliberately sober in order to emphasize the seriousness of this look into the future.

 
Large format printing The company presented its new printing systems at the 6th Epson Graphics Congress in Warnemünde. 
The company has been very quiet for a long time, at least as far as product announcements in the important large format printing (LFP) market are concerned. However, the new printers make it clear that Epson is still a force to be reckoned with.
The long pause regarding new products may be related to the comfortable position in which Epson finds itself: In the LFP market, which in addition to the CAD market mainly comprises the graphic arts market with the proof, professional photography, labeling and GIS (graphic information systems) segments, Epson has an average market share of 48.5 percent (this is calculated from the average market shares for the years 1999 to 2006). Epson has now reacted to the intensified competitive situation and the new products from other manufacturers.
New inks and print headsAndreas Stephan from Epson Germany presented a further development of the UltraChrome K3 inks and thus a first highlight of the congress. The UltraChrome K3 VM ink set - VM stands for Vivid Magenta - uses three black inks, which enables an even better gray balance, and above all - as the new name suggests - two completely newly developed magenta and magenta light inks. According to Stephan, the new K3-VM ink set significantly increases the color gamut, especially in the blue and magenta range.
Epson also delivered good news regarding the color stability of the new inks: As with the previous K3 inks, the company promises that the colors will remain color-stable for more than 75 years; for the black inks, Epson states a color stability of more than 150 years. Epson has completely redeveloped its print heads. The Epson Micropiezo TFP print head technology now also enables optimum reproduction of halftone dots thanks to double the nozzle density per inch, which means that halftone dot proofs can be produced, which is desired in many places. According to Stephan, the doubling makes it possible to reproduce "perfectly round print or halftone dots".
Updates and new productsEpson presented seven new or updated printing systems in one go at the congress with the Epson Stylus Pro 4450, 7450, 9450, the Epson Stylus Pro 4880, 7880, 9880 and the Epson Stylus Pro 11880 as the highlight. The key data of the Stylus Pro x880 printers alone is impressive: high resolutions of up to 2880 dpi x 1440 dpi, use of K3 VM ink, large-volume ink cartridges, maximum media thickness of up to 1.5 mm, borderless printing, USB 2.0 and 100/10 Mbit Ethernet as standard, etc. speak for themselves.
As a surprise and outstanding highlight of the event, Epson presented the aforementioned Stylus Pro 11880, the first 64-inch printer from Epson, which means that the printer can produce prints up to 162.5 cm wide. The borderless printer can process both 64-inch wide paper rolls and single sheets.
For automated printing, the Stylus Pro 11880 has an automatic take-up unit as well as a built-in paper cutter. LEDs indicate the ink status and provide information on the fill level of the 700 ml containers. The largest printer in the extended Epson range also features Vivid Magenta ink technology, so that the increased color gamut is also available in this format.
The printer on the InternetEpson presented another innovation with MyEpsonPrinter.eu. This is an Internet-based control tool for professional Epson printing systems. Current print data can be viewed via the Internet, evaluations of printer usage can be made and a complete cost calculation can be called up. This allows "real" production data to be imported into an Excel spreadsheet in order to carry out cost controls.
The website also provides detailed information about the hardware and allows Epson to provide support if required. According to Andreas Stephan, the service will be available for all new Epson Sylus Pro printing systems, with the exception of the Epson Stylus Pro 3800. The data is sent from the printing system to the Internet server MyEpson Printer.eu, from where the user can retrieve his data from the Epson server.
If necessary, Epson Service can query the printer status. Stephan mentions that Epson adheres to strict data protection guidelines in this regard.
New proof paper, a new halftone technology (Epson Super Halftone Technology) and new printer drivers - including for Windows Vista and Mac OS X Leopard - rounded off the series of announcements from Epson.
Jürgen Franck
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 From 2008 to 2011, the Council of States intends to spend a total of around 297 million on marketing Switzerland abroad. 195 million will be allocated to Switzerland Tourism, 9 million more than approved by the National Council and requested by the Federal Council. According to a report by SDA, the majority of the Committee for Economic Affairs and Taxation (WAK) wanted to increase the federal contribution from CHF 186 million to CHF 195 million to compensate for inflation. The minority would have preferred to go along with the National Council, but withdrew its proposal during the debate. After the National Council, the Council of States also approved CHF 68 million for export promotion in the years 2008 to 2011. 13.6 million is earmarked for the promotion of Location Switzerland. A further CHF 21 million is earmarked for the promotion of innovations in the tourism sector (innotour). With the six-part bill, economic promotion will be consolidated in the Federal Department of Economic Affairs (FDEA) at the beginning of 2008. In addition, the federal government will receive a new legal basis for location marketing abroad.

 
At Tuesday's noon press conference, Sacha Wigdorovits gave the final details about the first publication of the free newspaper .ch announced for Wednesday. As announced, the circulation will be 435,000 copies, 70 percent of which will be distributed by home delivery and 30 percent by public transport. It is planned to serve 50,000 properties in six German-speaking cities in Switzerland, 20,000 of which will be served by means of specially designed newspaper stands. In the remaining properties, distribution will take place via existing infrastructure or the newspapers will be deposited in the building entrance. The fact that the stands are not theft-proof is accepted by the .ch makers: "The stands are an advertising gift," Wigdorovits thought. Around this kind of the distribution some fuss arose in the last time. Now the initiator of the new newspaper said that the stands were "not vital" for the distribution, one could distribute the sheet also in other way in the properties. The first issue will have 44 pages, 14 of which will contain advertisements. From the second issue on, it will revert to the normal 32 pages with 6 pages of advertising. The .ch website will be designed by Wirz Werbung.
With regard to the competitive situation, Wigdorovits said the goal is to oust 20 Minuten from first place as a free newspaper by three years. He does not give the already existing free evening newspaper Heute and the commuter newspaper News announced by Tages-Anzeiger, Berner Zeitung and Basler Zeitung any chance of survival in this cut-throat battle. The new product is expected to break even within three to six years. Regarding the total investment costs of 50 to 60 million Swiss francs mentioned by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Wigdorovits said he did not contradict the NZZ.
The aim of .ch is to offer readers guidance, Wigdorovits explained. The newspaper is a value-free reporting news, sports and service newspaper, he said. 10 pages are set aside daily for news from regional, national and international politics and from the economy. In addition, there are 5 to 6 pages of service, lifestyle and society. The sports section is at the end of the paper and is also to comprise 5 to 6 pages, with 8 to 10 pages on Mondays. Commentaries will be provided by numerous columnists, the list currently includes 21 people. The newspaper also has an online presence: the website includes the newspaper content and regional information. Wigdorovits assured that there is "no hesitation" in linking to websites of other providers if this is useful to the users.
.ch is printed decentrally in the print shops of the Austrian media house Schwarzenbach, Zehnder Druck in Wil (St. Gallen), Ztprint in Zofingen and at AZ Print in Subingen.
The entire Board of Directors was present at the press conference: President and entrepreneur Hans Ziegler, Sacha Wigdorovits, attorney Ernst Buob, Michael Grabner, formerly with the Holtzbrinck publishing group, printing entrepreneur and publisher of the Vorarlberger Zeitung Eugen Russ, Phonak CEO Andreas Rihs and HSG lecturer Werner Bonadurer. They are those investors in .ch who are known. Wigdorovits did not want to mention the names of the other shareholders; they are private individuals who are not known to the public. According to Rihs, the shareholders have roughly equal stakes.

 
Michael Koller and Carole Scheidegger

 
Swisscom has decided to broadcast the TV advertising program "Funfone" on Viva Switzerland for a further year at the beginning of September after a run of twelve months - due to its continued success, according to the press release. The format, which was specially developed for the company, presents the latest cell phone news on the topics of music, video games and entertainment to a mostly young audience in an entertaining way. Viewers can also win prizes in the regularly broadcast program, which Swisscom has extended with the exclusive Viva marketer IP Multimedia. Swisscom has been using the advertising format on Viva Switzerland since 2005. The special program has become well established among young Swiss people and this year, thanks to the,
Project manager at IP Multimedia: Stefan Halter; project manager at Swisscom: Patrick Moeschler; production company: Framix GmbH.

Daniel Weissbaum takes over the management of Schellenberg Druck from Oskar Schellenberg on October 1, 2007. The 47-year-old Weissbaum is a trained offset printer and has over 20 years of sales experience. He has worked as sales manager and member of the management team at Christinger Partner since 1999. Prior to that, he was Sales Manager at Speich Digital and Managing Director at Regag Registerstanzerei Zürich. Oskar Schellenberg is retiring from day-to-day business, but will remain the contact person for customers, according to the press release.

 At the launch party in the open-plan office of the new newspaper .ch at Thurgauerstrasse 60 in Zurich, Sacha Wigdorovits not only gave a passionate speech about his dream of a new Swiss press landscape. The declaration of war on the journalistic establishment was also accompanied by all kinds of symbols. At the entrance, visitors could buy a piece of flat gold and stick it on a round tabletop. In future, this will radiate its power as a kind of "gilded dot ch" in the editorial offices. All proceeds from the campaign will be donated to Dr. Beat Richner in Cambodia. An entertainment part of the party also came from the Far East. A Chinese dance group performed the famous "dragon dance". The head of the dancers explained the mythology: "There is the lion. It is a very strong animal. Many people are afraid of it. But there is also the dragon. It can fly and even defeat the lion." Did the fact that the lion is the heraldic animal of the newspaper metropolis of Zurich play a role in the choice of this dance about a "high-flyer"?
Finally, a gift that .ch investor Andy Rihs presented to the editorial team was also doubly meaningful. It was an original wood carving. Rihs bought it from the artist at the time under the title "The Bankers". But for Rihs, the figures depict "no bankers". He therefore appropriately rechristened the art object "The Writers" before handing the carving over to publishing director Caroline Thoma. A mutation from banker to scribbler and from there finally back to entrepreneur?
There was also an opportunity to indulge in the buffet. A very tasty Vaudois saucisson was served here. Is this an indication that .ch will later conquer the French-speaking part of Switzerland? In any case, the numerous guests were not only able to enjoy the specialty from French-speaking Switzerland, but also to puzzle over it. With all this mysticism, it was clear that Sacha Wigdorovits made a symbolic comparison in his speech. His newspaper project is a battle between David and Goliath. "A long battle. But fortunately we already know how it ended..."
 
Andreas Panzeri

 In spring 2007, Zurich-based AP&P was given the mandate to organize the campaign for the National Council elections on behalf of Zurich FDP President Doris Fiala. According to a press release issued on Tuesday, a mix of measures was defined in very close cooperation with Ms. Fiala and her PR consultant Robert E. Gubler from the Piar agency in order to reach and convince the relevant groups of voters; the first step will be large posters, followed by advertisements, teaser advertisements and posters, and finally the distribution of a campaign brochure designed as a newspaper. The AP&P team assumed that an election campaign is subject to the same or similar success criteria as a campaign for consumer goods or services. From the point of view of the Zurich advertisers, differentiation or stopper potential is the key requirement and is even more important than usual in political advertising. Over the next few weeks, many more or less identical appearances will be wooing voters or are already doing so. That is why the agency says it is focusing on very simple, reduced but powerful messages.