Basler Zeitung Medien wants to remain independent despite the cooperation with Tamedia and Espace Media for the commuter newspaper News. Chairman of the Board of Directors Matthias Hagemann said this to the media in Zurich on Friday when the new free newspaper was presented. "For us, everything we do must follow the primary corporate objective of our company," emphasized Hagemann. "We want to secure the family majority in the long term and remain autonomous and independent." With News and the planned online network, Basler Zeitung will strengthen its position in the Swiss news market.
Tamedia holds a 50 percent stake in the new newspaper, Espace Media and Basler Zeitung Medien each hold 25 percent. Hagemann said that he was aware of the size of the company. Nevertheless, the Basler Zeitung would open up the second most important economic area in Switzerland for news.
Hagemann made these statements against the background of Tamedia's takeover of Bern-based Espace Media. In August 2007, the Competition Commission (Weko) approved the media deal. The merger to form the second-largest publishing house after Ringier should be completed this year.

As part of a competitive presentation with two other agencies, the advertising agency Transformer has secured the budget for the Zurich S-Bahn. According to a press release, the campaign planned over several years on behalf of SBB Regional Transport Zurich will position the S-Bahn as an indispensable element of regional public transport and anchor it emotionally among broad sections of the population. The first wave of launches will be seen as early as November.

 The Tages-Anzeiger, the Berner Zeitung and the Basler Zeitung are jointly launching a new commuter newspaper called News. The newspaper is to be published before the end of the year; Espace Board President Charles von Graffenried did not want to commit to an exact date at the press conference. There will also be a joint online network from next spring. The newspaper is published with a circulation of 330,000 copies in the greater Basel, Bern and Zurich areas. The editor-in-chief is Philippe Pfister, who was most recently a member of the editorial team at Facts magazine, which has since been discontinued. A joint stock corporation called NP News Print will be founded for the paper. All three newspapers have a stake in this company; the Basler Zeitung and the Berner Zeitung each hold 25 percent and the Tages-Anzeiger 50 percent. The publishers of the three newspapers did not want to provide any information about the amount invested in the new paper and the online presence at the media briefing.
The commuter newspaper is distributed via newspaper boxes; negotiations are already underway with SBB. As the name implies, News is intended to be a pure news newspaper. "The formula is relatively simple: we focus firstly on news, secondly on news and thirdly on news," explained designated Editor-in-Chief Philippe Pfister. News will be published in each city with its own newspaper header, which will contain the title of the newspaper sold. There will therefore be "News Tages-Anzeiger", "News Berner Zeitung" and "News Basler Zeitung". The content of the three editions is otherwise identical. The only difference is a box on the "Switzerland" page with information on what can be read in the subscribed titles. Although the publishers' explicit aim with the new newspaper is to strengthen the regional dailies they sell, News will not contain any local pages. Regional news will only appear if it is of national importance.
The editorial team will be based in the Zurich Tamedia building in the premises of the former Facts team. A total of 34 new jobs will be created, 26.5 in the editorial department and 7.5 in the publishing house. The editorial team includes Rolf Hürzeler, previously with Facts, as Head of Culture; Christian Maurer as Editor-in-Chief; Stefan Regez, former Editor-in-Chief of the Jungfrauzeitung, as Head of News.
The newspaper focuses on agency reports as the source of 80 percent of its articles; according to Pfister, however, this news is to be presented in a "high-quality format". There will be no columns or commentaries. The paper is aimed at a young, well-educated and urban readership. "There is a prejudice against free newspapers that, from an advertising perspective, they attract a lower quality readership than subscription newspapers. But that's not true," emphasized project manager Rolf Bollmann. "However, it is simply the case that young people are no longer prepared to pay for a newspaper". New offers can now be made to the advertising industry: News can be booked nationally on its own, in conjunction with the Kombi Metropool and regionally together with the subscribed title. Thanks to the increased reach, the aim is to create attractive prices. However, the advertising costs have not yet been disclosed.
In response to the question of whether the new paper might cannibalize the existing newspapers, Bollmann replied: "A certain amount of cannibalization cannot be prevented. But if revenue flows into the free newspapers, we would prefer to keep it in-house". The free newspaper .ch initiated by Sacha Wigdorovits was not decisive for the launch of News, Tamedia Chairman of the Board Pietro Supino told the media: "Regardless of whether .ch launches or how long it stays on the market, we want to launch News".
Online news network to be launched in springThe three titles want to expand not only in the printed newspaper market, but also in the online sector. A joint online news network will be launched in spring 2008. The Winterthurer Landbote and the Thurgauer Zeitung will also participate. It comprises a total of around 37 full-time positions. A central editorial office with 18 positions will be based in Zurich, while the regional editorial offices in Zurich, Basel and Bern will be retained. "We don't want to make the mistake that others have already made and only operate with a central newsdesk," explained Res Strehle, the project manager for the online news network. The network relies on the existing Internet addresses of the three daily newspapers. So-called page makers, the digital counterpart to the well-known page maker, will work at all sites. In contrast to the commuter paper News, the three publishers are focusing on regional content online. "In Switzerland, the regional sections are still underdeveloped in the online sector," says Strehle. The editor-in-chief of the new network is still unknown.
The three media companies are aiming to become the most visited media site in Switzerland with the new network. If the Net-Metrix figures from August 2007 for Tagesanzeiger.ch, Baz.ch and Espace.ch are added together, the result is actually more unique clients than Blick Online, previously the leading online portal of a Swiss media company. Whether this calculation will work out in practice remains to be seen. In any case, Res Strehle told the media that he was pleased that "the resources for an online presence commensurate with quality newspapers" were now available.
Carole Scheidegger

The agency Spielmann/Felser/Leo Burnett has designed a poster campaign for the Tages-Anzeiger with 120 locally focused subjects. With the unique posters, each of which was designed to fit the respective environment, the Tages-Anzeiger shows that events and trends can also have an impact on the immediate surroundings. Or, conversely, that very local events can have a major impact. The posters pose questions - the answers can be found by those who stay tuned and regularly read the Tages-Anzeiger, according to a press release from SFLB. Each of the 120 subjects was created specifically for the immediate surroundings. For example, in front of an Italian restaurant, the question is asked: "What if wheat prices continue to rise? Will there no longer be spaghetti for 12 francs here at Delfino?" Sender: Stay tuned - Tages-Anzeiger. Or next to a kiosk in Zurich: "What if more Germans come to Zurich? Will this kiosk then sell curry sausages?"
For the poster campaign, the creative team from the Tagi agency Spillmann/Felser/Leo Burnett visited all the poster sites on site, took notes of the surroundings and later wrote a headline for each of the 120 poster sites that incorporates the surroundings. For example, one poster in Uster, which stands on a piece of grass, reads: "What if soft drugs become legal? Will other weed be planted down here?" Or on Badenerstrasse next to a shoe store that sells the currently popular Crocs sandals: "What if Crocs become even more popular? Will Schuladen Piedo then move to Bahnhofstrasse?".
The posters will remain on display until October 24. A selection of the 120 unique posters can be viewed online at
http://flickr.com/photos/13147480@N02/sets/72157602001100786/show/
Responsible at Tamedia:
Rolf Bollmann (Head of Newspapers Zurich), Dominique von Albertini (Head of Reader Market), Cyril Hänggi (Assistant Reader Market); responsible at Spillmann/Felser/Leo Burnett: Martin Spillmann, Peter Brönnimann (CD), Diana Rossi, Maren Beck, Katja Puccio, Cyril Wirz, Martin Arnold, Martin Spillmann, Patrick Suter, Peter Brönnimann (texts) Simone Saner, Andy Stäheli (consulting). Media: Bemberg, Gedenk, Media.

Schweizer Illustrierte has been advertising for years with the claim "Closer to the stars". Now Publicis has designed advertisements for the popular gossip magazine that promise insights into the intimate lives of celebrities.
"No one is as close to the stars as Schweizer Illustrierte." according to a Publicis press release. The new image campaign proves this. The agency is focusing on the readers of the people magazine. With three subjects, Publicis is staging SI's claim to provide an exclusive glimpse into the private world of the stars. In each case, a group of readers will experience their star up close, be it during a yoga session in the living room, in the bathtub or while snacking from the fridge. The advertisements will appear from week 39 throughout German-speaking Switzerland as 1/1, 2/1 and F12, F200, as well as rail posters.
Responsible at Schweizer Illustrierte:
Urs Heller (Publishing Director/Editor-in-Chief); Franziska Schmid (Head of Advertising, Ringier Magazines); Nicole Wesche (Product Manager). Responsible at Publicis: Markus Gut (CCO); Florian Beck (CD); Nina-Britt Rauer (Text); Thomas Berger, Tanja Caduff (Graphics); Giovanna Colucci and Silvia Holend (Consulting); Christina Hengstmann (Art Buying). Responsible at OMD Media: Luise Diem (Managing Director OMD See). Photographer: Holger Pooten. Postproduction: Robin Preston.

It looks small and delicate from the outside, but when you try it out, it's absolutely huge: the chili pepper. This is exactly how HP wants to position itself with a new B-2-B mailing. The dialog agency Fisch.Meier.Direkt created a B-2-B mailing for an HP product line that included a real chili pepper. With their compact architecture, the HP entry-class servers deliver strong performance in the smallest of spaces, according to the press release. Small size - big impact, in other words. There is probably no better way to dramatize this guiding principle than with the hot, small bell pepper fruit. The mailing leads IT managers through the advantages of HP Entry-Class servers via a stringent line of argumentation. And finally to a reply card with which a consultation can be requested. This fiery implementation of the dry topic triggered the desired reaction from the target group - a big impact.

 In view of the 2008 European Football Championships in Switzerland and Austria, Media Focus will be recording the reference to the 2008 European Football Championships in all currently available advertising media from October 1, 2007. This should enable a direct comparison between the communication services of the official Uefa sponsors and the ambush advertising activities. To differentiate between these event references, a distinction is made in the survey as to whether the reference is made by means of the official brands such as text, logo, slogan and mascot or only indirectly. Specifically, the research company records whether the event reference is made by means of the official brands, by means of the brands and a content reference or an indirect reference.
Media Focus also hopes that it will be able to generate in-depth insights into the effects on the entire Swiss advertising market before and during the major Euro 2008 event. With the European Championships, the research company is including the recording of special events in the advertising pressure statistics for the first time.

 The photo agency Corbis, represented in Switzerland by the Ringier subsidiary Specter, is opening a new "Creative Boutique". It contains a collection of best-of images, background motifs for free download and the latest keywords at Corbis. Trend reports from Corbis' global Creative Intelligence can also be found there. They describe current cultural trends that influence the current and future demand for visual material. These proprietary studies are the result of analyzing thousands of Corbis' best-selling images, advertising and editorial tearsheets, and demographic and psychographic research. The Creative Boutique at Corbis.com/creativeboutique is updated regularly.

The audience council is largely satisfied with the public broadcaster's programming, but there is still room for improvement. "Zart oder Bart?" is "capable of development," the business magazine "Eco" is professional but too uncritical, and the section "DRS3 Wirtschaft" is informative but too stock market-heavy.Schweizer Fernsehen's new in-house creation "Zart oder Bart?" was perceived by the audience council as a program with development potential that would find its audience. In a communiqué, the councilors expressed the desire for better moderation and a generally livelier, funnier and more challenging quiz show.
According to the audience council, the launch of the SF business magazine "Eco" has been a success. The new program is praised as professional, varied and easy to understand. Complex topics are presented in a differentiated way that is understandable even for laypeople, thanks in part to the use of informative graphics and the competent moderation of Reto Lipp. "Eco" focuses on Swiss topics and is well on the way to developing its own profile. However, some council members felt that the length of the individual contributions was at the upper limit. In addition, the desire for more persistence and more critical inquiries was expressed.
The business sections on DRS 3 convinced the audience council for the most part. The economy was brought closer to the layperson in an understandable way, without seeming banal to experts. Despite the shortness of the programs, the information content was great. The chosen question-and-answer format, which consists of a dialogue between the presenter and the two business editors, was particularly well received. This allows the content to be conveyed to the audience in a relaxed and refreshing manner. However, some council members find the program too stock market and financial market-heavy. They recommend more reports about Swiss companies, about small and medium-sized enterprises, and information about the economy and the labor market.

 The Tages-Anzeiger, the Basler Zeitung and the Berner Zeitung are jointly launching a commuter newspaper called News. See the zero number here.

There will be a change in the editorial management of Radio Zürisee. Nadia Bächi takes over as deputy editor-in-chief on November 1. Her predecessor, Vera Grimm, is moving to Radio DRS.29-year-old Nadia Bächi began her radio career five years ago at Radio Zürisee. According to the communiqué, she first completed an internship and a traineeship in the editorial department. Nadja Bächi has been working as an editor for Radio Zürisee since spring 2004.
After about six years at Radio Zürisee, Vera Grimm has decided to seek a new professional challenge at SRG. In November, she will move to the Zurich-Schaffhausen regional journal of Swiss Radio DRS as an editor.

 The Swiss Advertising Association (SW) has noted "with satisfaction" the decision of the Bern Grand Council not to draft a law against sexist advertising. In a press release issued by media spokesman Piero Schäfer, the SW expressed particular satisfaction with the arguments put forward by opponents of the planned advertising ban: The majority of parliament was of the opinion that the industry's self-regulation had proved its worth (see ). The Commission on Fair Trading (FC) is also pleased with the decision, which proves that its work is recognized by political bodies, it continues. However, the Bern ruling does not mean that the Commission can now sit back and relax; it is well aware of the explosive nature of the issue. This is one of the reasons why it has reformulated Principle 3.11 on gender-discriminatory advertising. At the same time, the LK will continue to do everything in its power to raise awareness in the industry. On the one hand with increased public relations work, on the other hand with events on sexist advertising: on October 9, a workshop on sexist advertising will be held in Zurich's Stadthaus, where the topic will be discussed from various perspectives.