Radio use
The Swiss are listening to the radio more again. Domestic private stations in particular are benefiting - mostly at the expense of foreign stations. 
The Radiocontrol data for the first half of 2007 now definitively confirm the trend: after a long period of stagnation, radio is once again increasing its reach throughout Switzerland. In German-speaking Switzerland, the medium exceeded the 4 million mark for the first time in the first half of 2006, was able to maintain this level and has now increased to 4.075 million listeners. Radio also set a new reach record in French-speaking Switzerland, with more than 1.3 million listeners and a significant increase of 28,000 listeners. In Ticino, the medium also increased slightly, but remained just below the previous record of 247,000 listeners. The gains in reach were also associated with longer usage everywhere. In the first six months of 2007, the German-speaking Swiss listened to the radio for an average of 113 minutes, 2 minutes more than a year ago. In French-speaking Switzerland it was 109 (plus 50 seconds) and in Ticino 111 minutes (plus 5 minutes).
Compared to the first half of 2006, the SRG stations and private radio stations in German-speaking Switzerland were able to grow, the latter even significantly, while the foreign channels lost ground - both in terms of reach and listening time. Exactly the same development at a lower level can be seen in Ticino. In French-speaking Switzerland, on the other hand, all three groups grew, although here too the increase was only significant for Swiss private radio stations.
Looking at the individual stations in German-speaking Switzerland, three SRG radio stations recorded significant growth: DRS 3 and the two cable stations MW 531 and Virus. The gain made by Virus is particularly remarkable: within a year, the youth station has doubled its reach to 6,600 listeners. Virus is therefore virtually the rising star of the year, having clearly left its private competitor Radio 105 behind. However, there is one fly in the ointment: in terms of listening time, Virus has lost a whole 3 minutes (now: 12 minutes), while Radio 105 is almost twice as good in this respect with 21 minutes.
Argovia made further significant gains in reach, finally exceeding the 200,000 listener mark again and regaining fourth place from Radio Zürisee. In Bern and Basel, there are increasing indications that the respective competitors will converge in the medium term. In Basel, Radio Basilisk is tuned in significantly less, while Basel 1 is slowly approaching the 100,000 mark. The difference in reach is now 14,000 people, compared to almost 40,000 a year ago.
The situation is similar in Bern between BE1 and Capital FM: the latter has increased slightly since its relaunch at the beginning of 2006, just as much as BE1 has lost. However, neither change is significant. Sunshine, on the other hand, has suffered a significant loss: with 106,700 listeners, the station in central Switzerland has reached its lowest level to date, 19,000 fewer people than in its heyday.
In French-speaking Switzerland, Radio Suisse Romande's first channel lost significant reach, while Couleur 3 made significant gains. Little has changed among the private and foreign stations. With two exceptions: Radio Fribourg's two channels and Canal3's French-language channel are enjoying significant growth. Fribourg, which had to fight hard for its survival a few years ago, now appeals to almost 100,000 people with its French-language program.
In Ticino, only the private station 3iii recorded a significant increase in reach to almost 27,000 listeners. The foreign station RTO, which has gradually lost market share in recent years, is no longer surveyed by Radiocontrol.
Markus Knöpfli

 Unfortunately, a mistake has crept into the skybox of the printed Werbewoche No. 30 about the Publisuissini campaign. It is not Publicis that is competing with Panini, but Publisuisse. The sticker album was conceived and designed internally by Publisuisse. The editorial team apologizes for the error.

Jubaira Bachmann will head the music department at Viva Switzerland from September 1. The 29-year-old succeeds Mario Koller in this position, who wants to devote himself to his studies from the fall, as the station announced on Wednesday. Bachmann has worked in front of and behind the camera for the music channel for seven years and will continue to be active as a VJ on various programs alongside her new role as head of music. The Lucerne native's professional background includes work as a presenter and producer of various music formats for Viva Switzerland and as editor-in-chief of the urban lifestyle magazines Word, More and Chapter. Bachmann became known to a wider audience as a jury member on the 3+ casting show "Superstar". Prior to this, she was active in the areas of artist support, artist management and concert booking, for example for the Gadget agency. She also demonstrated her knowledge of music as presenter of the CNN program "The Music Room".
Giovanni Zamai, Managing Director of Viva Switzerland, hopes that Bachmann will help to further establish the station as an important platform for promoting Swiss music culture.

 
Mediafocus Advertising pressure rose by 4.7% in July 2007 compared to the same month last year. The vehicles sector performed particularly well (+22.1 percent). Furniture, home and garden invested 29 percent less. Machinery was the only product group to increase. With an increase of 81.9%, the food sector was the clear monthly leader. Pharmaceuticals/health (+33.2 percent), energy (+27.8 percent), services (+26.6 percent) and watches and jewelry (+25.5 percent) also recorded significant growth. Consumer magazines, daily newspapers, cinema and television were above the growth average.

 
Gemi
According to the Goldbach Electronic Media Index (Gemi), the medium of television continued its growth streak with a further increase of 2 index points to 388 points. Electronic media as a whole remained at a high of 377 index points, while radio lost 4 index points and now stands at 257 points. Teletext also suffered the same drop of 4 points, reaching a low of 136 points in July. Unfortunately, the July figures for Internet are missing from two data providers. This explains a drop of 6 index points to a new level of 250 points. The overall market of all media covered by Media Focus remains at 188 index points. The Gemi provides information on the indexed development of electronic media compared to the overall market since the introduction of the first advertising window in 1993 (excluding Adscreen).

Market research Even before the new Media Focus User Commission was launched, the consulting firm Media Audit questioned the Nielsen subsidiary's willingness to cooperate. 
On August 29, the time had come: after a lengthy back and forth, the newly formed User Commission (UC) of the market research company Media Focus and the Swiss Advertisers Association (SWA) met. The committee has had a difficult time: the SWA had already called for a UC two years ago, but this was rejected by Media Focus. Until June of this year, when the SWA made public serious shortcomings in the gross advertising statistics compiled by Media Focus following research by the Zug-based consultancy Media Audit. The company, a joint venture of the German market researchers Nielsen and GfK, then suddenly corrected its position. However, before the UC, which is made up of representatives of the media categories, media agencies, the SWA and Media Focus (see box), could begin its work and adopt rules of procedure, Karl-Heinz Müller from Media Audit went public and accused Media Focus of a lack of willingness to cooperate. Due to "repeated experiences with Media Focus", there was no guarantee that the company would make the necessary corrections. In addition, there were "concrete doubts" that the listed deficiencies could be rectified with a user commission alone, as the UC had neither operational nor executive or controlling powers. The suspicion therefore arose that Media Focus wanted to use the SWA as a fig leaf. Müller therefore called on the industry to "seriously consider a possible alternative" to Media Focus.
"Ripped off "When asked, Müller says that he was originally intended to be a UC member, but was then rejected by Nielsen Hamburg. Now he has gone public because he knows how much time is needed for controlling: he needed around 150 hours for his research alone. "That is an amount of time that a UC cannot afford, especially as Media Focus is not prepared to pay anything." The UC had therefore "naively allowed itself to be ripped off". When asked whether the UC members are all naive, Müller says evasively: "I can't judge that."
SWA Director Jürg Siegrist takes a more relaxed view of the matter. He is a UC member at various research companies and knows the opportunities and limitations of such committees, he says when asked. "A UC examines various suggestions, manages their implementation and sets deadlines for this - always in consultation with the relevant institute," he continues. Unlike Müller, he will only form his opinion after the first UC meetings. "But as soon as I get the impression that we are being misused as a fig leaf, the SWA will withdraw - and with a roar," adds the SWA Director. Siegrist has already proven on several occasions that he does not simply back down, most recently in June when he publicly accused the outdoor advertiser Clear Channel Outdoor Plakanda of not keeping its own promises regarding poster research.
At Media Focus, Marketing Manager Kevin Schnell is optimistic about the UC. "We are very happy that we now have this committee, because we want to meet the demands of our customers even more," says Schnell. But how does he react to Karl-Heinz Müller's accusations? "Media Focus strives to make decisions on factual issues and wants the green light for fundamental changes from all affected customer groups. We have absolutely no interest in not implementing decisions that we and our customers make," says Schnell. And should any problems arise during implementation, Media Focus will bring this back to the UC, he promises.
The Media Focus User CommissionThe newly formed Media Focus User Commission met for the first time on August 29 and is composed as follows:
Print: Marcel Tappeiner, Tamedia; Othmar Fischlin, Publimedia
TV: Siri Fischer, IP Multimedia;
Markus Hollenstein, Publisuisse
Outdoor advertising: Roger Moeschler, APG
Media agencies: George Bérard, OMD;
Urs Schneider, MediaSchneider (still uncertain)
SWA: Jürg Siegrist, Director
Media Focus: Kevin Schnell, Marketing Manager
Markus Knöpfli

Washing aids Exxtra Kommunikation shows Migros how to remove even the most stubborn stains. 
Total's detergent range is a comprehensive problem solver. And therefore a bit of a problem for advertising. The fact that the Migros stain remover now also comes under the Total label needs to be communicated with as little boredom as possible. Previously, this product still cleaned as M-Net. And totally everything. To show this in a witty way, Exxtra developed three cleanly designed subjects instead of a single poster - "because it makes a much stronger impression", as consultant Kathrin Steiger is convinced. The product benefits are communicated simply and directly on posters and in advertisements - with different heart-shaped patches on different textiles. The posters work without any further text. The advertisements have the subline: "Put an end to difficult stains." The message: Total's extended range offers uncomplicated answers to all stain removal challenges.
Andreas Panzeri

 
Public transportation From 5 to 9 September, Zurich's public transportation company Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a big party. 800,000 passengers are transported by VBZ every day. 2400 employees ensure their progress. The 125-hour spectacle starts very early on the morning of September 5, VBZ's actual birthday, at the Hard depot, when the first streetcar leaves at 4.49 a.m. with smoke and music. Most of the activities take place at Bellevue, where the streetcar bar, an information tent as the start and finish of the first VBZ-OL, probably the biggest greeting card and the mobile photo studio await guests during the 125 hours. Behind the camera is star photographer Alberto Venzago. He takes black and white portraits of passengers and passers-by. Some of the portraits selected (by Tages-Anzeiger readers) will be printed on posters (sponsored by APG as a birthday present) and will adorn poster sites and the backs of driver's cabs in the streetcars from the end of September.

 The weekly Swiss trade newspaper for tourism is now called Htr Hotel Revue. Until now, the paper published by Hotelleriesuisse, the business association of the Swiss hotel industry, was called Htr Hotel + Tourismus Revue. Elsbeth Hobmeier is both editor-in-chief and publication manager. She is also responsible for the publishing house. In addition, the editorial staff's job budget has been increased: two editorial positions and a picture editor have been added to the team. In addition to these organizational adjustments, the new editorial statute of Htr Hotel Revue guarantees journalistic freedom and independence from the association, according to a communiqué, which was, however, written by the association Hotelleriesuisse.
Htr Hotel Revue, which has a circulation of 18,000 copies, is produced at the Espace Media Groupe printing center. According to the publisher, it has 40,000 readers, the majority of whom are hoteliers, restaurateurs and tourism managers. The recent relaunch is based on a completely revised concept and is intended to give the magazine a modern appearance. Htr Hotel Revue now comprises four editorial sections and a fifth section with job advertisements for the industry.

Column Journalists hardly played a role in the French election campaign, but since Nicolas Sarkozy's victory they have taken off their muzzle. 
The Paris suburbs that burned under Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy are calm. The students who paralyzed the country the year before did not take to the streets despite the university reform being pushed through. In addition to the demonstrations, the announced strikes by many social groups also failed to materialize. Not even the renunciation of the previously obligatory post-election amnesty - for speeding offenders who did not have to pay their fines and for prison inmates who were allowed to go free early - has turned the people against the new president. Even the expensive vacations with the American president, which were once again paid for by Sarkozy's friends, the billionaires, are not held against him. The loss of importance triggered an identity crisis in the profession. And made them aware that the crisis of confidence among readers, listeners and viewers has been smouldering for a long time. The media themselves are to blame for this state of affairs.
Nothing illustrates this fact more vividly than the number of books published after the election. They contain what the journalists did not - or perhaps were not allowed to - write in their newspapers. It is not about individual cases, but about dozens of works. The readers of the newspapers and magazines must feel they have been taken for a ride. It is not only Sarkozy, who is friends with practically all media owners, who has been misinformed.
Two renowned journalists from Le Monde report in a book on how Ségolène Royal's candidacy really came about. Her partner, the socialist party president Hollande, has a mistress, a journalist from Paris Match. Royal became a candidate out of revenge - instead of her husband, who would have been the natural candidate. When Hollande considered putting former Prime Minister Lionel Jospin in the race, his wife threatened: "If you do that, you'll never see your children again. Throughout the year, readers and voters were presented with the spectacle of an intact relationship between Royal and Hollande. And the journalists, who knew better, played along - you can't excuse it with the protection of privacy. The press also concealed Sarkozy's marital problems - and the editor-in-chief of Paris-Match was dismissed because the paper broke the silence.
There is an unhealthy inbreeding between the media and politicians: Numerous ministers, including former ones, are linked to female journalists. When Sarkozy's wife ran away - she was previously married to an older TV star - the then interior minister consoled himself with a Figaro journalist.
There were great fears after his election: state and private media in unison under the dictates of the new president? In fact, various programs have been cancelled, in some cases in anticipatory obedience by the channel bosses. Sarkozy himself has hardly become more relaxed at the destination of his wishes. He intervenes and allows others to intervene. He supports his friends who want to buy newspapers, such as the luxury goods billionaire Arnault (business paper Les Echos). His luxury trip to Malta between election day and taking office was paid for by a media entrepreneur.
But since Sarkozy's election, all this has been made public. If an article is cut somewhere, the other newspapers report immediately. Hachette owner Lagardère personally wanted to prevent one of his newspapers from revealing that Cécilia Sarkozy had not gone to the polls. The article did not appear - but dozens of articles about the act of censorship, details included.
Even trivial matters are blown out of proportion and not every incident is a scandal that jeopardizes press freedom. However, journalists have become more courageous and their associations more vigilant. They have repeatedly appealed to the owners. They have realized that the very survival of newspapers is at stake. Sarkozy's pressure on the press and his manipulation of the media (he produced the images for the TV coverage of his campaign himself) have turned the Internet into a genuine and necessary source of information. The newspapers have had to adapt to his freedom and they have largely done so. The conservative Figaro has by no means become Sarkozy's Pravda, but has remained a serious and pluralistic newspaper. At Le Monde, the new rebelliousness of the editors has led to the previous boss losing power. A welcome emancipation of French journalists can be observed on various fronts. Since Sarkozy's election, press freedom is in a better state than before.
> Jürg Altwegg is the cultural correspondent for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in Geneva and an author.

 Throughout September 2007, the French-speaking Swiss publishers' association Presse Suisse, together with nineteen member titles, is organizing a competition in all press outlets in French-speaking Switzerland. Together with the distribution company Naville and the independent kiosk owners, the association wants to convince readers of the great diversity of the Swiss daily and popular press. It also aims to raise awareness of the role of newsstand vendors as an indispensable link between press publications and consumers.
Throughout September, newsstand customers will receive a scratch card when they buy a press title. By redeeming the completed scratch cards, customers can win a newspaper or magazine, and there is also a prize draw for a trip.
Extensive advertising space will be made available in the sales outlets. Presse Suisse and the participating publishers are carrying out the campaign designed by the Lausanne agency Tasmanie, which includes advertising material, scratch cards and press advertising.

Publishers Small publishers want to support each other and cooperate in a service company. In times of structural change in the media business, which print media in particular are feeling the effects of, ideas are sprouting up. Now small and medium-sized publishing houses want to join forces in a new service organization, which they will set up this autumn. Helping people to help themselves is the motto. The limited company called Netz.lokalpresse.ch is to become a hub for SME publishers who want to help each other out when needed and share their resources. The initial focus is on the various forms of cooperation, be it in the printing sector, be it at editorial level, for example in the exchange of journalistic articles, be it in pre-press, in the IT sector, in distribution, in the training of young talent through to the acquisition of advertisements, in the event of staff shortages and even in solving succession problems. "The network should be an entrepreneurially run business," says Guido Blumer, the busy publisher of the Winterthur Stadtblatt.
The GmbH does not simply want to be an additional association for small publishers, possibly in competition with the long-established Swiss Press Association. The latter will continue to protect interests at a political level and in industry matters, for example with regard to indirect press subsidies, VAT and other professional and association policy issues. There could be overlaps in the legal and marketing areas, but solutions already seem to be emerging.
According to Blumer, however, the reduction in indirect press subsidies by parliament this summer has not led to a split between the small publishers who continue to receive subsidies and the large publishers who are left empty-handed. For Blumer, the new regulation, which he interprets as support for a partially liberalized postal service, is almost inexplicable. There is a lot of solidarity among all publishers on this issue. "It's the first time that the big publishers have stood up for us," he says.
There is a great deal of interestBlumer has identified around 70 potential members and is doing the groundwork together with media lawyer Franz A. Zölch. "The interest has been there for a long time," says Blumer and is occasionally surprised that publishers contact him that he didn't even know existed. The aim is for SME publishers to also become members of the Swiss Press Association as shareholders of Netz.lokalpresse.ch.
The organization is tailored to the needs of small publishing houses, Blumer illustrates with an example: "If a member of the editorial team falls ill, this can become a problem in a small company." Often little is needed. Offers of help from large publishing houses, which according to Blumer have been made time and again, go too far. Nevertheless, Falkenstrasse is also interested in the activities of SME publishers, which is in line with the NZZ credo of strengthening the local and regional press.
 
On 5 September, Blumer and Zölch plan to launch their network on the web and thus make the further development of the organization accessible to a wider circle of interested parties. The supreme body will be the company assembly, which will be strategically managed by a seven-member honorary board. The creators want to set up a professional office for the operational business.    
René Worni