On Thursday, media agencies will receive mail from Ringier magazines in their letterboxes. In it, the Group announces that from July 1 to December 31, 2006, it will compensate all media agencies and customers "who book their orders directly and without the involvement of an intermediary with a commission" on a trial basis. The compensation amounts to one percent of the annual net/net turnover on advertisements and inserts - in a total of 15 Ringier magazines as well as in Cash and also in the future Cash Daily.
The only exceptions to this rule are Gesundheit Sprechstunde, Sportmagazin and the newspapers Blick, SonntagsBlick (including the magazine Sie + Er) and Heute. The letter also specifies two further requirements: The minimum annual turnover in the permitted titles must total half a million Swiss francs, and the direct booking agencies and customers must ensure a professional booking process and assume responsibility for document, publication and quality control.

With this step, Ringier is now the second Swiss media company with a "direct booking fee". Tamedia had already introduced such a fee a year and a half ago - with slightly different rules: Werdsträssler pays 1.5 percent, but only from an annual volume of one million francs. If the turnover also exceeds that of the previous year, Tamedia even grants four percent.

Markus Knöpfli
Read the interview with Thomas Passen, responsible for the reader and advertising market at Ringier Magazines, in the current Werbewoche No. 25 of June 29, 2006.

The first European field trial of high-definition radio technology (HD radio) is currently taking place in central Switzerland. The digital technology for FM radio promises better quality and higher capacities. Although there have been reservations about this system in Europe up to now, Markus Ruoss, founder and majority shareholder of Radio Sunshine, believes in the digital future of the FM band. After receiving approval from the Federal Office of Communications (Bakom), Ruoss began testing HD radio at the end of March 2006. He hopes that HD radio could prove to be the most efficient and economically viable addition or even alternative to the DAV147 standard for regional radio stations.Marcel Regnotto from Bakom welcomes the field test. He hopes that it will provide useful information with regard to a possible introduction. Among other things, the trial should show whether HD radio proves itself in difficult topographies. Comparisons with other digitization processes are also planned. The final report is to be submitted to OFCOM next year. According to Ruoss' assessment
Swiss private radio stations could start broadcasting with HD radio technology between 2008 and 2010. In the event of a possible introduction, Ruoss expects investments of around 200,000 Swiss francs for the local station Sunshine.

From August 21, 2006, the short business magazine "SF Börse" will be broadcast from Monday to Friday before the main "Tagesschau" edition. This will change the program structure and the sequence of Publisuisse's advertising blocks. The advertising block before "SF Börse" (and after "Schweiz aktuell") will no longer be switched through to SF zwei, but can be booked as two separate blocks, according to a communiqué. A single spot block will now be broadcast between "SF Börse" and "Tagesschau", which will also be shown on SF zwei. The new structure will also have a minor impact on the existing Infopool offering. Until now, the combination of the advertising block before the "Tagesschau" at 7.25 pm with the "tele news combi" advertising block at 6.15 pm was offered by Radiotele. This offer still exists, with the change that the advertising block at 7.25 p.m. is now followed by the business magazine "SF Börse" and not directly by the "Tagesschau".

The online broker Swissquote has been won as a sponsoring partner, as SF editor-in-chief Ueli Haldimann confirmed to the business newspaper CASH. "SF Börse" plans to report on current issues from the world of business from mid-August. According to Haldimann, the aim is to inform a broad audience in a relaxed manner with one or two topics, the day's winners and losers and an outlook on Wall Street.

Internet advertising rose by 12 index points to 217 in May. For the 2006 advertising year, the Internet has already recorded growth of 39 index points. Together with radio, which rose by 3 points to 246 points, the Internet contributed to slight growth in electronic media. As a result, the Goldbach Electronic Media Index (GEMI) for TV, radio, the Internet, and teletext combined rose to 319 (318) points. TV maintained its high level at 232 index points. Teletext continued its long-term trend in May as well, with a decline of 3 index points from 151 to 148. Gross advertising spending in electronic media rose by 2 index points in May 2006 to 170 (168). Total media spending has now risen for the fourth time this year. The GEMI is calculated by the advertising agency Goldbach Media. The index is based on data published by Media Focus regarding advertising investments in Switzerland. After revenue reports for the Internet sector were repeatedly missing this year, a comprehensive correction was made in May. Media Focus nevertheless notes that the data does not yet meet delivery standards and is therefore still being reviewed.

Television Politics is the biggest risk factor for the future of SF. This is the conclusion reached by the authors Alexander Rödiger and Stefan Rüesch. As part of their Executive MBA course at the University of St. Gallen, they have examined the future prospects of Swiss television SF for the next five years and developed corresponding strategies. The authors describe a greatly changed Swiss television landscape in 2011: the currently predominant distribution of self-produced and edited broadcast content according to a fixed schedule (broadcasting) will increasingly come under pressure from Internet TV and digital TV, on-demand offerings and a growing selection of programs from special interest channels. In addition, mobile applications will establish themselves on a broad front. Scarce frequencies and insufficient bandwidths will no longer play a regulatory role. Only those who know how to attract attention with a recognizable brand profile will be able to compete with this new diversity.
The authors also consulted five exponents of the Swiss media world: media entrepreneur Peter Weigelt, publisher president Hanspeter Lebrument, SF director Ingrid Deltenre, Swisscom chief strategist Christoph Brand and Bakom director Martin Dumermuth. They all agree that the world of television will change fundamentally within five to ten years. It is still largely unclear which types of TV will prevail, but everyone is convinced that mobile TV will make a breakthrough.
The transformation to SF MultimediaAccording to the authors, SF must transform itself from a broadcasting to a multimedia company within the next five years and serve all channels demanded by the audience - regardless of the traditional program, which will most likely remain the predominant model. High-quality content with a Swiss connection will also be in demand on these new channels. As it is to be expected that the telecommunications industry will strongly develop new business areas (e.g. IPTV), cooperations are conceivable for SF.
Fees will continue to be the main source of income in the future. However, SF's path to the future could be blocked by political means - an unpredictable danger. Dialogue with politicians is therefore crucial and the concept of public service must be clarified in order to guarantee political support. 
The author duo were prompted to work on the project by the publishers' protest against SF's online expansion last fall.   
René Worni

On June 24, 2006, 517 marketing planners from the 2006 cohort were awarded the federal certificate. 827 candidates registered for the examination, which is organized by Swiss Marketing. Only 785 candidates completed the examination and 517 (65.86 percent) passed. The distribution of the pass rate between women and men shows an even split of 48.9 percent women compared to 51.1 percent men, according to an averaging report. In terms of language regions, however, the picture is more varied: While 88.6 percent of women and 89.5 percent of men come from German-speaking Switzerland, French-speaking Switzerland is represented by 8.2 percent successful women and 6.0 successful men, while only 3.2 percent of women and 4.5 percent of men come from Ticino.

René Worni on competition and possible cooperation on the Internet René Schönenberger alias Pastor Ulrich
Rohner played a role in the ARD early evening series "My Father's Secret".
found a new chocolate job. Esther Gemsch alias
Elsbeth Rohner. She is in Mike Eschmann's new feature film "Tell" at
contract, as you can read in Ringier's Tele program sheet. The
Staff of the successful Swiss soap Lüthy and Blanc rehearse the
(script-worthy) exodus.

SF Director Ingrid Deltenre recently announced - widely recognized by
accompanied by a shake of the head - the red pencil was applied. It was the
Audience-appreciated melodrama and beloved child of predecessor Peter
Schellenberg too expensive after four years. "SF bi de Lüt" instead of
"Lüthy and Blanc", the effective case for the spirit of optimism in the
Leutschenbach. Schälli's unrestrained redoubling in the SonntagsBlick,
Among other things, Deltenre squanders money on the Internet, effectively pouring
Adding fuel to the fire.

But what exactly is happening? Under the vague impression of future
developments (cell phone TV, Internet TV and so on) are
creeping uncertainty through the industry. The aim is to
the right time to jump on the onrushing trains that you
but only gets hold of it at the last second.

When SF upgraded its Internet platform last fall, it followed suit.
harsh criticism from publishers that SF is grazing under the cloak of
"added value" with its Internet offering in their business area. The
case is a model: Swiss television is slowly feeling its way towards the
opening up the Internet, for example by opening up its
film archives or with the educational platform "SF-Bildungspilot" - but
according to RTV regulations, unfortunately without advertising and sponsorship. Why then
not cooperate? For example, in a joint company?
Publisher President Hanspeter Lebrument, for example, could imagine a
Publishers' participation in the SRG subsidiary and internet marketer
Publisuisse. After all, there was once a
joint AG for commercial television.

René Worni, Editor

On June 26, 2006, the Red Dot Design Award 2006 was presented in Essen. From Switzerland, the road bike designed by the Zurich-based company Nose Design Intelligence received the Best of the Best Award in the „Leisure, Sports, Wellness, and Caravanning“ category. Spemot AG won two Red Dots in the „Media & Consumer Electronics“ category. Anderegg AG, as well as Doppler and Saner, each received an award in the „Living & Sleeping“ product group. Also honored with one Red Dot each were Bodum AG (category „Household & Kitchen“), Zemp + Partner Design („Architecture & Interior Design“), I Design AG („Industry & Crafts“), Siemens Switzerland AG Building Technologies Group International Headquarters („Bathroom, Heating, Plumbing, and Air Conditioning“), and Regent Lighting AG („Lighting & Lamps“). Switzerland received three awards in the „Jewelry, Fashion Accessories, Textile Design & Lighting“ category, namely for Outils Rubis SA, TAG Heuer, and Rado Uhren AG.

The ProSiebenSat.1 Group's Managing Director for Switzerland, Christian Gartmann, is moving to the Swiss PubliGroupe. Gartmann has been responsible for the ProSiebenSat.1 Group's Swiss business in TV, Internet and Teletext for six years. He will leave the company in late fall to take on a new challenge at PubliGroupe, according to a press release. A decision on his successor will be made in the coming weeks.

Automobile Jung von Matt/Limmat has realized two incredible films for Mini about handy cars with fresh and fruity ideas: A young couple wants to buy a car,
but can't decide. Should we take the yellow Mini
or another one? "If you shake a banana out of your sleeve
then we'll buy the Mini in yellow," says the woman.
Your guy accepts the seemingly impossible bet. He shakes, squirms
and contorts himself, while a green cucumber, red tomato and plenty of
other colorful vegetables tumble out of his clothes. Finally
he also pulls a yellow banana out of his sleeve. The decision is
fallen. Similarly absurd was the second bet on a Mini S - S for
Superman. "If a Superman comes flying now - then we'll buy the
S", says the woman. And indeed, two men in the
Superman outfit from the sky.

Mini brand cars are small, iconic and creatively styled. Because
advertising cannot reach its audience with conventional solutions.
the two CD's Michael Rottmann and Alexander
Jaggy at Jung von Matt/Limmat.

Absurd selection criteria
The client, Garage Titan AG in Zurich, is the largest
Mini-Center in Switzerland offers most models. It's clear that
is sometimes spoiled for choice, the Jung von Matt/Limmat agency wants to
but also the advantage that customers can communicate without a long waiting period.
can take their dream mini with them.

In two films, this agony of choice is presented in an almost unbelievable way.
dramatized. The couple in front of the Mini Center must inevitably fall into a
argumentation if one of the partners wants to prevent the other from
of his choice. A situation that makes one partner
to impose impossible conditions for a model choice of the other.
to the audience. To the amazement of the audience, this condition is then - completely
Mini - fulfilled. The film was directed by Tobias Nölle. He created the absurd spots
realized with the production company Rosas'N'Co Films.   

Andreas Panzeri

The highs and lows are so close together: while the Swiss national team was unfortunately eliminated from the World Cup on Monday evening, SF2 set a new World Cup TV ratings record. 1.73 million viewers watched the match against Ukraine, according to Publica Data. At times, as many as 1.89 million people were watching at home. Apparently, the extra time was no longer emotionally bearable for everyone: the ratings peak was recorded at 10.50 pm after the end of the second half. The ratings then dropped briefly during the break until the start of extra time. Although it subsequently recovered, fewer people watched the extra time and the subsequent penalty drama. Because more people watched television on Monday than three days earlier, SF2's market share of 76.3% was slightly below the figure of 79.2% for the Switzerland-South Korea match (1.6 million viewers). The rating for the Switzerland-Ukraine match is the fifth best figure recorded by Swiss television since the introduction of Telecontrol in 1985. The best audience for a sports program was recorded in 1985 for the men's downhill race at the World Ski Championships in Bormio with 1.749 million viewers.

Swiss Television received no fewer than six awards at the Promax/BDA Awards 2006 in New York, as reported by Swiss Television in a press release. The new set design for "Tagesschau" and "10vor10" won the BDA World Gold Award for the most creative news set. The SF 1 Idents were awarded two Gold and one Silver in the ID Campaign and Branding/Image Campaign categories. Station Idents are trailers that are inserted between the programs and commercial breaks to identify the station, and Swiss Television also received two gold awards for its new "kino hoch zwei" label. Alex Hefter, Creative Director of Swiss Television, is delighted with the awards: "The awards are a great honor for Swiss Television and show that our new image can hold its own at a global level." The Promax/BDA World Gold Awards are internationally regarded as the most prestigious awards in the TV design and promotion industry.
RTL II also picked up awards. The Munich-based channel was honored with three silver awards: For the summer campaign "Exhale" in the categories "General Entertainment, Out-of-House: Bumper", "Broadcast Networks: Out-of-House Program Promotion" and "Broadcast Networks: Holiday Image Campaign", as RTL II reported in a media release.