Digital printing Graphax presents the bizhub PRO 6500e, the new color print production system from Konica Minolta, for the first time in Switzerland At the beginning of October, Graphax presented Konica Minolta's current printing systems for the office segment (not included here) and production printing at a customer event at the airport in Glattbrugg. The bizhub PRO 1050, a black and white printing system equipped with various finishing units, was on display. With an output of 105 pages/minute, the printer is one of the fastest systems on the market. From Ipex to GlattbruggProbably also because these finishing modules and finishers presented on the black and white model were developed by Konica Minolta, they fit perfectly with the bizhub PRO 6500e color production system, the star of the customer event, which was presented in Switzerland for the first time.
The color printing system developed and manufactured by Konica Minolta, which was presented for the first time in Switzerland at Ipex in April, will now be available from November, according to Richard Matt, Marketing Manager at Graphax.
The signs for a successful launch of the color production system seem good: The bizhub PRO 6500e impresses not only with its high print quality (1200 x 600 dpi) but also with its impressive print speed (65 pages/minute). In addition to the clean resolution, a toner developed by Konica Minolta ensures high-quality print results. "The advantage of the Simitri-HD toner is that the wax required for transfer in laser printing is embedded in the particles," explains Tiziano Snozzi, Product Manager Production Printing at Graphax. "This means that the usual wax streaks disappear from the paper surface."
The finishing options are many and varied. Both the bizhub PRO 1050 and the bizhub PRO 6500e can be connected to various units. A folding unit can handle a wide variety of folds - from letter folds to Z-folds and triple folds. A staple finisher can staple up to 100 sheets; the booklet finisher allows the production of booklets up to 200 pages thick - including folding and stapling.
Graphax, which operates in the document and output management sector, defines its target group as copy stores (printing on demand), but also offset print shops that want to enter the digital printing market to round off their range.
Images from wordsAnother highlight of the day's event was the presentation of DirectSmile, the image personalization software ideally suited to the Konica Minolta colour printing system, which Graphax distributes exclusively in this segment in Switzerland. DirectSmile was presented by sales manager Roland Schmidt. In addition to a free (limited) solution on the web, the Berlin-based software producer DirectSmile offers software products for various needs. They range from simpler workplace solutions (DirectSmile SE) to scalable integration solutions (DirectSmile Enterprise).
The company, which emerged from an advertising agency and, according to Schmidt, did not consider the options available until then to be interesting enough, offers its options primarily for Adobe InDesign.
In contrast to the solution from AlphaPicture, for example, where users can obtain personalized image data, DirectSmile users can create the image compositions themselves. However, Schmidt does not see AlphaPicture as a competitor; on the contrary, the two companies have recently started working together: AlphaPicture remains a supplier of image personalization for smaller users and orders - anyone who wants to/must deal with this on a daily basis is better off using a tool from DirectSmile.
bizhub PRO 6500eAfter its exit
From digital photography, Konica Minolta is focusing even more consistently on digital printing. With the bizhub PRO 6500e, the company presented a color production system for the first time at Ipex. The printer achieves up to 65 pages/minute (color, duplex) with a resolution of 1200 x 600 dpi. Grammages between 50 and 300 g/m2 can be processed. The new printing system can be used for printing documents with variable content (variable data printing). Jürgen Franck

Column There have never been as many good journalists as there are today. Anyone who says that probably doesn't read Swiss press products.Things are hectic in the media industry. The competition is getting bigger, but the stories are not getting more diverse. A wonderful thing for PR agencies. Who can write to some extent, finds its press texts one to one in the newspaper. Thank you very much, says the client to the PR consultant, who can't believe his eyes. It's even better when editorial offices use the PR agency as a ghostwriter. The cash register rings, because on the one hand the media manager has a stone in the board with the customer - because of the proximity to the editorial office. Studies show that around 40 percent of all reports in daily newspapers result from PR messages. A PR text, however, is not meant to be critical, but to promote a product. So media professionals who can read between the lines in press releases are in demand. Instead, they press "copy" and turn to the next piece of information. But where does that lead?
Everyone laments the uniformity of the multimedia world. But if you want to discuss this in an executive suite, you're told: "No time." In the hectic pace, there is no time for reflection. Instead, everything becomes fast food: texts, editors-in-chief, department heads, editors. Content and people become interchangeable. Cheap versus quality.
I often hear young people ask themselves, "Should I go into journalism or a PR agency?" Is there still a difference today? Critical journalists who occasionally question a topic are not really welcome. They are considered troublemakers. Editors-in-chief might even find themselves questioned by them. People who think a lot are often exhausting employees for managers. Instead, they are offered a job as a correspondent.
Which brings us to the next topic of quality: How much are the current leaders in the media scene worth? A good editor-in-chief with high social competence wants to have good people around him. He invests in his most valuable asset: his employees. He hires journalists with proven professional experience. Journalists with a thick address book full of connections. Journalists who know the ABCs of research and can tell good stories.
We have to make better use of these capabilities. Next year, new titles will come onto the market - fast, dynamic newspapers from major publishers who invest a lot of money in concepts. I spontaneously think of a new newspaper from Tamedia. What would it be like if a group like this were to invest more money in the future editorial department? A team of experienced quality journalists would set up a new daily newspaper. What they are looking for is not the news agency's rewritten report. What they're looking for is the story behind the story. Stories about exciting minds in this country. But such research takes time. I am sure that a title that would take this time again would find a loyal readership.
My heart bleeds, however. Journalism is degenerating into a casual transitional occupation for "youngsters. They meet in the scene bar and think it's "mega" that they can do editorial work. Let's be clear about this: It would be wonderful if journalism became a cult, so to speak. And I know that there are young people who take their chance and really throw themselves into the profession. But at the moment, these are individual masks.
The profession must not be watered down. Journalism means heart and soul, passion, trying to create the most exciting newspaper/magazine/broadcast every day. Journalism must not be "now I'm going to rewrite a few PR stories".
That's why I'm calling for more brain power in the publishing houses' executive suites and hope that some clear-thinkers will pull the emergency brake. Press releases can certainly serve as a source of information for a good story. However, from a journalistic point of view, they should be viewed critically and examined carefully. I know what I'm talking about. After all, I write new press releases for my clients every day.
Karin Müller, formerly a journalist, now runs her own communications office in Zurich.

An erotic club in Dübendorf advertises 120 top girls aged 20 and over - on a poster at the airport. This is not acceptable, according to the EVP, which wants the poster removed. Now that the sex poster affair in Baden is finally over (see
), now comes the next episode in the Protestant People's Party (EVP) against the disintegration of customs. Party representatives consider the new poster at the airport to be offensive and will argue in the cantonal council next Monday that it should be removed, as 20Minuten reported on Wednesday. Brothel advertising at the airport, the gateway to Switzerland, is unacceptable and a very bad calling card for the country, argues EPP cantonal councillor Lisette Müller-Jaag. The airport operator Unique has no sympathy for the outrage, saying that the poster is completely harmless compared to some underwear advertisements. Nevertheless, airport cab drivers confirm that some people feel disturbed in their personal feelings. Families in particular sometimes wonder what this is all about, according to the 20Minuten report.
The EPP has recently focused heavily on sexist advertising. For example, the party launched a petition for a ban on degrading advertising, which predominantly violates the dignity of women (see
). However, the Federal Council has already decided that the existing legal remedies via the Fair Trading Commission are sufficient.

The shortlist for the Edi.06, the Swiss commissioned and advertising film award, has been published. The shortlist for the Edi in gold, silver and bronze was drawn from 201 entries. In the "Commercials" category, French-speaking Swiss director Thierry Bourduille and fellow jury members Markus Ruf and Martin Spillmann put together a shortlist of 17 spots. In the "Clips & Trailers" category, the jury members included Catherine Mühlemann from MTV, copywriter/conceptual designer Thomas Campolongo and composer and sound designer Corry Knobel. They shortlisted nine films. Nine entries also made it onto the shortlist in the "Corporate" category. The award ceremony will take place on November 16 at the Schiffbau in Zurich. Prior to this, all the shortlisted films will be screened in the afternoon at the Zurich Museum of Design. You can find the Edi.06 shortlist in the
latest issue of Werbewoche
.

Gruner + Jahr, the traditional German publisher, is adopting a new-media approach. To keep up with the times, Gruner + Jahr no longer wants to be simply a printing and publishing house, but Life Enriching Media. That's because Publishing Director Bernd Kundrun discovered the Internet and saw the future there. And to talk to the future, good old (German) home cooking is no longer enough. It is also no longer enough to simply print good magazines, no, you need a mission and this mission into the future needs a mission statement. This was now explained in a Strategic Manager Meeting: Expand your Brand. The first step towards this brand expansion is now to be the introduction of the new self-description Life Enriching Media. This new label is to adorn the company's magazines as well as its online offerings, as a spokesperson for the publishing house revealed to the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Confusingly, the old name, the printing and publishing house, is to be retained, but there is still talk of a change of course.
In the future, the publisher wants to move beyond one-way communication and engage in a lively dialog with its readers. Hopefully, they will speak modern German, otherwise life enrichment through the media will soon be a thing of the past. By the way, the publisher also wants to do this via cell phone. The G + J women's magazine Woman is currently announcing that it will send specific shopping tips to cell phones via the Internet. So anyone who wants to buy a book in Paris will be spared the hassle of strolling along the avenues and browsing through the book displays. Instead, simply switch on an Internet-enabled cell phone and search on the Woman website. Stay tuned for more from the Brave New World of Gruner + Jahr.

Swiss television channel SF is planning a documentary series about young entrepreneurs. The eleven-part series called "Start up - Der Weg zur eigenen Firma" is due to start next April. The camera will follow young entrepreneurs on their path to self-employment. The aim is to show initiative people how they can turn their business idea into a business and what opportunities are open to them - it is about real opportunities and real risks. It is an opportunity for viewers to be "up close and personal", writes SF in a press release. And describes the program as "television about the future generation of doers and opinion leaders". The pre-selection of those portrayed will be carried out by the Institute for Young Enterprises, while the Federal Innovation Promotion Agency will provide the coaches. The registration deadline for interested parties is December 11, 2006.

Mediaedge:cia MEC, the global communications agency for the planning and implementation of holistic concepts, is launching digital media services in Switzerland. MEC Interaction Switzerland has two new locations in Lausanne and Zurich. In addition to electronic media and outdoor media, they now also offer focused services for digital media. The aim is to strengthen strategic consulting and the integration of digital media - online, search, affiliate and mobile - into holistic communication concepts. Tiziano Obrecht, Head of Interaction Switzerland (photo), will head up the Digital Media division in both locations with immediate effect. Obrecht has been working in the online business for around six years. Most recently, he was responsible for two years as Director Product Management at online marketer Adlink. Prior to that, he worked for around three years as Senior Account Manager at Publimedia Webadvertising and one year as Process Manager at IBM Switzerland.

The IP companies in Europe and RTL Group have published the new edition of the annual "Television Key Facts". The study provides facts, data, developments and highlights on around 900 TV channels in 36 European countries as well as the USA and Japan. Television consumption by adult viewers is rising steadily across Europe and stands at 222 minutes per day in the west of the continent. General trend: In Western Europe, viewing time is higher in the south than in the north. The Greeks are the top TV viewers (256 minutes), followed by the Spanish (249). Germany is in the European midfield with a viewing time of 226 minutes. Bringing up the rear alongside Denmark (162) are Sweden (156) and German-speaking Switzerland (148). In Eastern Europe, viewing time tends to be even higher. Serbia (289), Hungary (280) and Poland (255) occupy the top three places here. Compared to Europe, however, the USA has the longest TV viewing time (299 minutes).
Advancing digitizationDigitization continues to make progress in European households. At the end of 2005, 52 million households received digital television primarily via satellite, while digital distribution via cable and, above all, DSL played a less important role. The development of digital terrestrial television (DVB-T) is remarkable: 12 to 14 million mainly Western European households receive DVB-T. France, the Czech Republic, Malta and Spain (with a reintroduction) successfully launched this technology last year. DVB-T has a particularly high reception potential in countries such as Italy, Spain and the UK, where cable television is less developed. The differences in the digital equipment of TV households vary greatly in Europe. While the UK occupies the top position (66.4%) in terms of digital television penetration, there is still room for development, particularly in Eastern Europe.
An interesting trend: international formats that are tailored to the needs of viewers in the individual countries are continuing their advance and successfully addressing the national characteristics of the broadcasting country. Reality shows with celebrities and docu-soaps are captivating more and more viewers, while talent and casting shows continue to achieve considerable viewing figures even after several seasons. Television also continues to provide an important orientation function and offers help in many areas of life. This is demonstrated by the great success of the "docutainment" genre, which is becoming increasingly popular in Europe with cooking shows and parenting guides and is increasingly reaching young target groups. Finally, broadcasters are also focusing on national adaptations of fictional formats, thereby meeting the tastes of viewers, as demonstrated by successful soaps and telenovelas.

Copying is human. According to Frank A. Meyer, journalists make a living from it. And in art, the practice is also commonplace. And now a website shows that even in the world of advertising, the most creative of creatives resort to a humanly proven means when things don't work out with the great new idea. We're talking about copying and adaptation.  
Anyone who claims that genuine creations and unique ideas are simply genuine and unique should take a look at the website
can be proven wrong. There, the original and copies of advertising ideas are juxtaposed so that it becomes obvious who might have helped themselves where. "The knowledge of copying in earlier times helps in decision-making," is what modern experts call the practice of copying. "There is nothing new under the sun," the Bible names it. But what if a supposed copy is actually a genuine idea? Insist on your own originality, says Werbewoche. After all, gunpowder was invented twice.

The western Swiss publishing house Edipresse has commissioned the consulting firm Phoenix Corporate Finance Partners LLP to analyze Edipresse's investment in Infotec Holding. In recent years, the company, which is 40 percent owned by Edipresse, has been able to position itself well in the Swiss market and is currently growing strongly abroad. Edipresse wants to support the holding company in its aim to expand further at an international level. The French-speaking Swiss publishing house believes that Infotec Holding will be better able to achieve this goal thanks to a change in its shareholding structure. Edipresse also plans to seek additional equity partners willing to support Infotec's expansion both in Switzerland and in other European countries.Infotec provides real-time financial information from over 140 stock exchanges and financial institutions. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Geneva. Infotec also has offices in Zurich, Lugano, London, Paris and Frankfurt.

Lucia Staub and Guido Zehnder joined TBWA\Zurich as Account Directors in October 2007 to strengthen the consulting team for national client McDonalds. Lucia Staub previously worked for one and a half years at Saatchi & Saatchi Simko in Geneva, also as an Account Director for national clients such as JT International AG and Novartis. In Germany, she worked for agencies such as McCann Erickson, Argonauten 360° and Leo Burnett for clients including Philip Morris, BMW and Microsoft. Guido Zehnder, who previously worked for McDonalds at Heye, Zurich for two and a half years, moved with the client to Tequila\Zurich. He previously worked as a Pricing & Sales Specialist in the marketing team at Esso Switzerland and was responsible for projects in the "Convenience Retail" sector.

More Germans and Milanese are set to visit Zurich in the coming years. According to Tourism Director Frank Bumann, Zürich Tourism is significantly expanding its marketing in its northern and southern neighboring countries. The marketing budget for the German market alone is to be almost doubled to CHF 1.16 million next year, while the budget for Italy is to be increased from CHF 100,000 to CHF 430,000. The main markets for Zurich will remain Germany, Italy, England and the USA. However, the Zurich marketing organization will now also actively cultivate France, reports SDA. The category of strategic growth markets for Zurich as a travel destination also includes Austria, Spain, Russia, the Gulf States, India and South East Asia.