Under the name Texxas, Hamburg-based Metaspinner Media is launching a free TV program that will be offered on the Internet. According to the providers, over 100 channels will be available. The freeware is installed on the Windows computer. The first time it is started, it automatically pulls the current TV program for the coming days and weeks from the Internet and then saves it on the hard drive. The daily program can then be viewed even without an existing Internet connection.

Texxas 1.1 (2.37 MB) is free to install and can be downloaded from Texxas.de. The Windows program can be used permanently for private and business purposes and contains no annoying pop-ups, no advertising banners and no spyware.

Samuel Günter is to become the new Editor-in-Chief of the Jungfrau Zeitung in the Bernese Oberland. He takes over from Stefan Regez on September 1. Günter will also join the management of Gossweiler Media as Head of Journalism. According to the press release, Günter stands for "active opinion journalism that pursues clear objectives". He also wants to "vehemently support the expansion of the online presence" and introduce the role of Head of Photography. Günter previously worked as political and business editor for the Jungfrau Zeitung. He previously worked for the Oberländische Volksblatt, the Berner Zeitung and Radio Berner Oberland, among others.

The Zurich PR agency Jenni Kommunikation is taking over communications for the Hotel Ascot in Zurich. The mandate also includes support for the specialty restaurants Lawrence and Fujiya of Japan. The main task is to provide specialist advice and implement the hotel's communication strategy in Switzerland, reports Jenni Kommunikation. The first project will be PR support for the planned activities surrounding the Mezze specialty festival from September 18 to October 14.

Winterthur Insurance has commissioned the Zurich advertising agency Scotti to advertise its products and services for SMEs. Unusual examples were selected to show the range of companies that Winterthur can insure. Winterthur actively offers to review the insurance solutions of potential customers and prepare a competitive offer. The aim is to generate the best possible response. According to a press release, three print subjects will be used in August and September. This will be supported by an online campaign, a sales promotion campaign and POS advertising material for the agencies. Scotti already manages Winterthur's product advertising for household contents and motor vehicles.

Daniel Graf is taking over the management of the newly created Communications department at the media trade union Comedia with immediate effect. In his role as Head of Communications, Daniel Graf will be the contact person for media inquiries and at the same time editor-in-chief of the magazine "M", Comedia announces. Graf previously worked as managing secretary and media spokesman for the Green Party of the City of Zurich.

On September 1, the Swiss television magazine TV-Star will present the Swiss Television Award for the third time. The nominees in the four categories have been announced: In the "National" category, presenter Kurt Aeschbacher, "Tagesschau" presenter Beatrice Müller and sports presenter Rainer Maria Salzgebern have been nominated. Three talk formats are up for selection in the "Regional" category: Tele Züri's "Sonntalk", the formats "Ostschweiz im Gespräch" and "Sonntagsrunde" from Tele Ostschweiz and the "Regio-Talk" on Tele Tell.

Matthias Schoch is in the running in the "Film" category for his leading role in "Jeune Homme". Also nominated in this category is Melanie Winiger for her performances in "Sonja's Return" and "Love Made Easy" and Stephanie Japp, who appeared in "Grounding" and "My Name is Eugen". The jury for the "Broadcast" category is made up of around 10,000 TV-Star readers. In the running for the trophy are the people magazine "Glanz & Gloria", the chocolate soap "Lüthi und Blanc" and the reality show "Der Match".

The Zurich advertising agency Spilllmann/Felser/Leo Burnett (SFLB) communicates for the Zurich General Practitioners' Association (VHZ). As many young people do not have a family doctor, the creative minds came up with an unusual campaign: Posters give street skaters tips on where to find the coolest banisters in Zurich. Of course, none of the GPs would want anyone to sprain a thumb, twist a knee or get a laceration on the head while rail skating. But just in case, they refer to their homepage www.hausarzt.ch. If anything should happen, you can find the address of your nearest GP there. The tips for street skaters can be seen on posters and flyers and are available at the wakesurfing tour and in various GP surgeries.

Following various cantonal governments, the electronic media interest group IGEM is now also speaking out against an amendment to the Federal Act against Unfair Competition. According to a statement, companies and therefore also advertisers should be able to implement marketing measures within the framework of free competition. Switzerland's liberal economic order is the primary asset of all measures. The proposed amendment would cause economic damage that cannot be estimated.

The Federal Council had proposed the revision in view of Euro 08 after the European Football Association (Uefa) had called for the law to be tightened. As a survey conducted by the SDA news agency has shown, numerous respondents suspect that Uefa wants to gain a monopoly and thus more advertising revenue. In addition to the EPP and the SP, the SVP is also clearly against the revision: "It is unacceptable to set the legal machinery in motion at the request of a private association."

Swiss Television SF is expanding its range of podcasts. From Wednesday, August 23, 2006, "Rundschau", "Reporter" and "Kulturplatz" can now be downloaded free of charge as video podcasts. From Thursday, August 24, 2006, SF will also be offering "Aeschbacher" as an audio podcast. All programs will be available by 10.00 a.m. at the latest on the day after broadcast.

The Zurich-based advertising agency Fisch Meier is now advertising for the Swedish designer stationery chain Bookbinders Design. The Stockholm-based company commissioned the agency to develop online and offline activities to publicize the brand, attract customers and build customer loyalty. The origins of Bookbinders Design lie in the bookbinding business. The company also operates an international franchise chain under the "Bookbinders Design" brand - in Switzerland with stores in Basel, Lucerne, Zurich and Geneva.

In the case of the Ringier magazine Cicero, there will definitely be no trial against SonntagsBlick's head of foreign affairs Johannes von Dohnanyi and author Bruno Schirra. The two journalists had been charged with aiding and abetting the betrayal of secrets. After the Potsdam district court had already refused to allow a lawsuit (see "No trial against Cicero journalist Bruno Schirra"), the public prosecutor's office lodged an appeal. However, a Brandenburg court rejected this. The reason given was that a conviction of the journalists was not likely. The regional court's decision is therefore legally binding, as reported by SDA. The background to the charges against von Dohnanyi and Schirra was a Cicero article in which, according to the public prosecutor's office, an internal report by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) on the Iraqi terrorist leader Abu Mussab al-Sarkawi, who has since been killed, was quoted. In the search for the leak at the BKA, the editorial offices of Cicero in Potsdam and Schirra's Berlin apartment were searched on September 12, 2005 (see
"Editorial office of Ringier magazine Cicero searched"). The Cicero editorial team has appealed to the Federal Constitutional Court about this action.

The countdown is on. Until the launch of the new private Swiss television channel 3+, the Zurich advertising agency Ruf Lanz is presenting a new SF figurehead every day for its first campaign for the new private channel. The campaign promotes presenter casting and uses the example of famous TV stars to show that everyone starts small (see "3+ advertises with figureheads of Swiss television"). Christine Maier is no exception. The new motif shows the presenter in her tender beginnings - with a hair-do à la Three Angels for Charlie and an airy blouse. The private Swiss television station 3+ goes on air on August 31.