Column From the observer to the doer: How journalists take the initiative instead of observing political actors Everyone knows this textbook classic
Journalism student: "Dog bites man" is not news, "man
bites dog", on the other hand, is one. The message is so rare that it alone
for this reason alone has a high sensational and novelty value.
As plausible as the example may be - the journalism textbooks
should all be rewritten in the meantime. Because at the latest since
a few weeks, we also know in Switzerland that at least
Fighting dogs can very well make the headlines. After they were
a few years earlier in Germany and Italy the summer slump
filled this time here in the country in the
Pit bulls and Rottweilers on countless front pages in the run-up to Christmas
her teeth.

Thanks to the tabloid Blick, the dogs even turned out to be downright
as suitable for campaigning: After three pit bulls in Oberglatt near Zurich
a six-year-old Turkish boy to death, the police were
at the instigation of the Blick editorial team in Switzerland within three
Weeks 175,000 signatures for an immediate ban on fighting dogs
collected. Journalists therefore not only have the textbook rule except
but have once again stepped out of the role of the "marker" in
the role of the "doer". Instead of observing political actors,
they have launched a political initiative themselves.

But even before fighting dogs hit the headlines
Anyone would have to raise doubts as to whether the classic example of "man
bite dog" was indeed a clever choice. At the very least, you should ask
whether the message was really newsworthy. Because in this
variant - in complete contrast to the sad events in
Oberglatt - "only" about an entertaining, but ultimately irrelevant
"soft news".

The Ticino television journalist Aldo Sofia has therefore created the well-known
Example modified: "Dog wags its tail" is not a
message, "tail wags the dog", on the other hand, to a large extent
newsworthy. If the tail wags the dog, this should be
According to Sofia, this awakens journalistic instincts.
To stay in the picture: The monstrous thing about the Blick campaign was
not the demand for a ban on fighting dogs. They can and must be discussed in
of democracy can be discussed and decided as a matter of course.
The way the tail wagged the dog was monstrous. The
The tabloid has populistically subordinated all those elected parliamentarians
put under pressure and pilloried by the people who
legislative initiative did not willingly applaud. The publicist
Roger de Weck warned a long time ago that not
politicians such as Blocher, Haider, Le Pen or Bossi are populists,
that endangered democracy, but the tabloid media. The
Blick's pit bull campaign impressively illustrated this observation.
confirmed.

 

Stephan Russ-Mohl heads the European Journalism Observatory at the University of Lugano.

This month, Giuseppe Scaglione is launching a second station, Radio Monte Carlo Swiss, in addition to Radio 105.
Career counselor explains that he wants to make listening to music his profession.
"Lazy bastard," she said and sent Giuseppe Scaglione - as it were
in Basel - to the chemical industry for a commercial apprenticeship.

Today
the "lazy music listener" goes every morning at half past five to the
Jogging and will soon be the successful owner of two radios. On 26.
January, the founder of Radio 105 celebrates his birthday with a big party.
Launch of Radio Monte Carlo Swiss. Scaglione's Italian partners, who hold a minority stake in 105
have been operating Radio Monte Carlo in Italy for years
under license. "Radio Monte Carlo is one of the best-known radio stations in the world.
Radio Brands," enthuses Scaglione. The station is known from Moscow to
Paris. And today, when brand awareness is also a
media company counts more and more, it is crucial to work with
can operate with strong brands.

Monte Carlo picks up where 105 leaves off in terms of age. The
The core target group is 25 to 45 year olds. This puts us in the sights of
almost all local radio stations. However, Monte Carlo is said to be "clearly
for example, from Radio 24. Although you can use the everywhere
Robbie Williams would not sound any different. Scaglione wants
nevertheless characterize their own style "with small interventions
from the moderation to the playing of lesser-known pieces".
In addition, Radio Monte Carlo is not supposed to offer suction lattism by telephone.
give. The news on Monte Carlo Swiss will initially be published by an existing
Editorial department. However, the in-house services are to be expanded,
says Scaglione, who in his younger years also had his own
journalistic experience as an unpaid freelancer for radio
Raurach was allowed to do.

Radio 105 now has four different programs. The
The main program can be received on the cable network and on the Internet. There are
also three complementary programs in CD quality at www.105.ch
to receive. According to Radio Control, Scaglione's 105 is listened to by 50,000 people. It
However, it is a big problem to really get the consumption of young people right.
to be able to measure. "The more specific the target group, the more difficult
the capture." Recruitment of the Radio Control audience is underway
via landlines, "but young people almost only have cell phones".
What's more, it's hardly sexy for a hip-hopper to be wearing one of these big
control clocks to go out. This explains why the
Wemf figures for 105 almost three times higher than Radio Control figures
be measured.

Advertising on 105 is broadcast in two blocks per hour. At Monte
Carlo is only interrupted once more. But more in the
sponsorship area. Already working well at 105 is a
Cooperation with UBS. The bank leaves a link on the radio website
run their commercials. Are there signs of an expansion in the direction of
Internet television? "Illustrating music with clips would be a small
step," reveals Scaglione. This does not require a concession, "although
Bakom is certainly looking for ways to control this". But:
"My server can be in the Caribbean."
For Scaglione, the Internet with all its possibilities is "a
Revolution". In fact, an Internet radio station like 105 in New
York as well as in Zurich or in the farthest mountain valley. Why
so Scaglione is still fighting so hard for an FM frequency? "Anon
long stakes like the competition," is his argument.
He also knows that the listening behavior of his audience changes over the course of the
day changes. After work, listeners migrate from the Internet to the
Cable. When IP radio is even more technically established, the
change that. "Our future will therefore no longer depend on a
Media Minister Moritz Leuenberger, but Bill Gates will be responsible for
do our homework." The time will come when end devices
that allow you to listen to Internet radio while walking down the street.
can hear. With digital forms of distribution, the state is therefore losing the
Legitimization to distribute concessions. "This stems from a
antiquated way of thinking," says Scaglione, who is occasionally referred to as
dubbed the "Schawinski of the digital age".

It is also very polarizing. Why? Scaglione can imagine,
that the aspiration to do something professional "is a lot of
unsettled". As long as something is harmless and can be trivialized,
it has many sympathies. As soon as higher demands are made,
fears are awakened. "This became clear to me in the
Statements on youth radio. Everyone was right for the competitors, only
not us." Today, the small empire works with freelancers
15 people and functions almost like a family. Scaglione's wife
Paula Libera works in the studio, which helps the relationship in such a
strong commitment to the profession is "rather beneficial".

Andreas Panzeri

Political advertising In the election campaign for its municipal council, the Zurich SP is also using cinema commercials for the first time.
appeal to a new group of voters and bring them to the polls.
With this in mind, the SP of the city of Zurich has been looking for new ways of
to attract a younger audience in particular to their concerns.
interest. For the first time in the history of election advertising in the
Switzerland, the Social Democratic Party has announced the following
municipal elections in Zurich therefore relied on cinema spots. Realized
the five spots were created by Andrew Katumba and his Bossa Films "as a
technical experiment" and therefore with free labor and sponsors,
i.e. "with zero budget, because we care about the elections".

The five spots of ten seconds each are based on the
Testimonial ad campaign of the SP. Voters and SP sympathizers
express their views on topics that are of personal concern to them. The
circuits with digital projection in 21 cinemas in the city of Zurich via
12,000 francs for the whole month of January, which is "substantially
cheaper than advertisements," calculates the red party. With the choice of cinemas
such as Cinemax or Corso, one also hopes to attract voters who would otherwise not
absolutely react to political advertising. "In the movie theater, our advertising
undivided attention," hopes SP secretary Susanne
Twerenbold.

However, the SP of the city of Zurich is also focusing on revolutionary
Methods. After seeing that the free newspaper 20 Minuten
regularly has its front page wrapped for paid advertising, wanted to
the SP could also realize a similar idea with the Tages-Anzeiger. For
the last Züri-Tipp in the old year, the publishing house has decided to
no problem according to a survey by the editorial team, although there is "no
secret is that part of the editorial team was not enthusiastic," as
Party leader Koni Loepfe explains.

Shortly before the election on February 12, four more
unconventional posters are used. These show the already
incumbent city councillors in a caricature by Nico. For the fourth time
For the third time, the Zurich SP advertisement is being written by Rolf Preisig. Raymond Naef
is responsible for the graphics. Hermann Strittmatter plays privately and
"without fee" an advisory role as a strategist.   

Andreas Panzeri

In 2006, APG will continue the research project
Poster Performance Index PPI continue, in addition to the
SPR baseline study, which it will continue after the exit of Clear Channel
Plakanda operates alone (cf. newsmail of 11.01.2006). The postal test
PPI will be surveyed in a larger sample starting in January 2006: New
400 people in the agglomerations of Bern and Lausanne will become
Memory, brand association, and liking of poster campaigns surveyed.
According to the press release, the aim of the extended survey type is, on the one hand
more comprehensive industry evaluations and, on the other hand, the possibility,
to be able to combine statements for gender and age groups. For
next year, the further expansion of the database will be envisaged.
which currently comprises around 450 campaign entries.
The PPI test report 1997 to
2005, which can be requested free of charge at
http://www.apg.ch/publikationen or phone +41 52 208 94 21.

From Thursday, January 12, advertisers and journalists can register online for the 53rd International
Advertising Festival in Cannes. Who in the "Delegate Handbook"
would like to be listed must register by May 12, 2006.
Competition entries can be submitted from February 2, 2006.

As reported by Radio DRS, the Zurich
The Office of the Governor decided in the first instance on December 16, 2005 that
the games of chance offered on several TV stations for violating
are illegal under the Lottery Act. The transmitters were paid in the amount of
fined several thousand francs, but must pay income in
million, as reported by the SDA. The judgment is being appealed
The cases have now been appealed to the Zurich District Court.
The proceedings against the broadcaster Star TV are still pending.
These are games of chance on the channels Sat1 Switzerland, Viva
Switzerland, Star TV and the purely foreign channels Kabel 1 and DSF
(German Sports Television), which the federal government describes as "disguised games of chance".
is considered to be a legal requirement. As the cantons are responsible for the Lotteries Act, the
the Canton of Zurich. According to the governor's office, the
Gambling because of the lack of equal opportunities against the
Lottery Act. For the competitions permitted on television
players can also participate free of charge. About the procedure
the broadcasters discontinued their games of chance a year ago, offer these
since mid-2005, but again in a modified form and with the
possibility of participation via the Internet. According to the governor's office
but equality of opportunity is not guaranteed by the Internet, as it does not
all households had an Internet connection.
Last April, Bakom was also against the TV competitions
intervened. Following objections from the operators, the
Appeals Commission for Infrastructure and the Environment the ruling at the time
confirmed. The use of so-called value-added service numbers for
such TV games is not lawful, explained commission member
Simon Meier of the SDA. The broadcasters also have the provisions
to disclose the charges via 0901 numbers.

Design In St. Moritz shortly before
the holidays 33 top designers from around the world to the Design Summit of the
Loewy Foundation met.Three days of just sharing thoughts,
Analyzing problems and designing visions - this is a noble purpose
of the annual Design Summit in St. Moritz. Host of this
panel with 33 top designers from around the world is the Raymond
Loewy Foundation. This year, the high-caliber team represented
Participants field twelve nations, including many professors from
Colleges of design from all over Europe as well as China, Taiwan,
South Africa and the USA. For the first time, a Pre Summit in Zurich
took place in which business leaders presented their views on the
The project was designed to show how the framework conditions in creative processes can be shaped.

Christof Gassner, CEO at Kuhn Rikon, took part in the discussion.
the designer together with Max Imgrüth, who, in addition to his marketing for
Bally design also considered the spiritual father of Swatch stores in the U.S.
has become known. The question: "Is design the sand or oil in the
gears of the economy?", Olivier Quillet also tried,
International Marketing Director at Nestlé Nespresso, to
answer. A conclusion: "Money designs the world" and "beautiful
Design only works with proper marketing". For this it is alone
the design, which, for example, has taken Nespresso machines all the way to tea country
India can be sold and in individual countries, despite a vast
of other espresso machines a yearly doubling of sales
brings in.

I-Pod is not only a cult, but the undisputed market leader, because
Apple has found a very special design. Swatch was able to win against
thousands of other plastic watches prevail. Rolex can for years all
imitations defy. And - also a design-influenced idea of the
Marketing: Harry Potter got young people reading, which
previously only consumed images.

"Design is not a luxury of successful companies, but design makes
companies and their products more successful," was the consensus among the
conversations agree. Conversely: "Many good inventions do not make it
on the market, because the poor design does not make a product the great
Renner does."

So design is "very rational marketing," argued the
Round. As a task here, the designer must ask himself: What
works and looks good and is also fun?

There was also agreement that luxury goods will have a chance again in the future.
on growth, because more and more people are living in previous
Developing countries can afford upscale consumption. "The
Globalization of quality", the designers have called it. Design
otherwise works against leveling in a luxury market.

After an expert appraisal of the new Christmas lights.
on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse (www.werbewoche.ch/
weihnacht.werbewoche), the designers then traveled on to St.
Moritz. Here, among many other topics, they also discussed about
"Stupid Design. The invitees of the Loewy Foundation have for this purpose
preceding examples from all over the world on a website
www.stupiddesign.com compiled.

Andreas Panzeri

Springer shows itself in the planned
takeover of ProSiebenSat.1 is now prepared to reach a compromise after all, as
the SDA reported. On Wednesday, the publisher offered the Cartel Office to sell ProSieben
to an independent buyer. The Cartel Office had previously
the sale of the Bild newspaper or one of the two television channels
demanded. Springer had rejected this up to this point. The
However, the timing of the sale is still likely to be the subject of
become: Springer only wants to sell after the deal, the Cartel Office
insists on sale before the merger and on separate marketing
of advertising time.
After the veto of the 
media merger control KEK on Tuesday emphasized that he wanted to
television project. The KEK had the
ProSiebenSat.1 takeover on the grounds that the acquisition would
Springer would gain a predominant power of opinion and the
Threatening diversity of opinion. On Friday, January 13, 2006, the
Directors of the state media authorities on the CEC vote in Berlin
advise
ProSiebenSat.1 announced the plans for the sale of
Springer announced that the Management Board could not oppose the sale of the
because this step is not in the interests of the company.
is. There are numerous synergies between the two main channels of the
TV group.

Advertising market The Solothurner Tagblatt
(ST), the latest split edition of the Berner Zeitung, publishes local
obituaries free of charge again this year. This can be seen from the
tariff documentation 2006. The competitor publication of the
Solothurner Zeitung is now in its fifth year of accepting free death notices.
This was not always the case: at the very beginning in October 2001, they were also
at the
ST for a fee, but nobody wanted to place any at the time. The
The number of local obituaries in a title, however, applies in the
publishing industry as a yardstick for the anchoring of a title.
The fact that the offer is still free of charge shows that anchoring seems to be
is not looking rosy. Another indication: the print run of the
BZ splits remains unchanged at 10,000 copies, while the
However, the reach of the overall title in the ST scattering area (districts
Solothurn, Lebern, Wasseramt, Bucheggberg) of 25 percent before a
year to 23 percent. The ST is no longer the only
Titles with free death notices: Since last fall, the
Thurgau split of the St. Galler Tagblatt newspaper. (mk)

The first German daily newspaper to
Saarbrücker Zeitung has launched a web service in which readers of the
Giving local editors tips by SMS, MMS, fax, telephone and e-mail
can. The newspaper has a central telephone number and a
Mail address set up. The texts and images go directly to the
editorial system of the newspaper, journalists then view and edit
the material. On the Internet, the reader messages are published on a
published on its own website.
Editor-in-chief Peter Stefan Herbst hopes that the new service will
stronger reader loyalty and information that would otherwise not reach the editorial team
would reach us. Of course, the information would be
publication and researched it, he told the
Netzeitung. The costs of the required software and the ongoing
Operating costs are minimal. The software comes from the Norwegian
tabloid newspaper Verdens Gang, which has been using the web service for two
years.

On Wednesday, the SV Foundation presented two
Journalists from the SF1 health program "Puls" with the
SV Media Prize awarded. Alice Funk and Martina Lichtsteiner
received this recognition for their contributions on nutrition in old age,
which was broadcast as the main topic in the program on April 18, 2005.
were awarded. The two editors convinced the jury with a
comprehensive reporting, which is varied and with much
originality and understanding of age, as the SV
Foundation. The SV Media Prize was awarded for the second time
and is endowed with CHF 5,000. Its purpose is to promote
journalistic works from the electronic or print sector,
the findings on nutrition in an attractive and understandable way
convey.

René Worni on the way out of private powerlessness. The industry is used to the
president of the Swiss Press Association during his appearances always
surprises again and again and occasionally creates an effective
All-round attack launched. This is then regularly reflected in the columns
the daily press. Also at this year's Epiphany Conference, the
Hanspeter Lebrument does not.

As a representative of the newspaper publishers, it is clear to him that the
SRG, which is financed by license fees, is a thorn in the side. Because some of the publishers,
Lebrument included, have become veritable media entrepreneurs.
with private radio stations, private television stations and web platforms.
And until Swiss television is lifted together with the new
Internet platform, good behavior was considered a deal: SRG has agreed to the
No advertising (and probably also no sponsoring) on the Internet
and at some point in the revised RTVA fees will also be included.
for the private sector. The former has already proven to be a misconception
proven: There is (a little) advertising and sponsorship. With the latter
The publisher's president believes that a long-term
SRG conspiracy theory, with well-meaning parliamentarians the new
(no longer so feudal) RTVG and thus the fee splitting to the
failure. The position of the private sector vis-à-vis the state
towards monopolists seems somehow shameful and
hopeless.

In contrast, Lebrument's suggestion to switch to the
state press subsidies, especially as they are no longer credible.
is a publisher who makes a hollow hand for subsidies. Rather a
uniform and market-oriented postal tariff system, or the distribution of grad
organize it entirely by itself, finally lend a hand and reduce the state quota
push aside.

This vision could also be perfectly applied to the clinch with the 
adapt SRG: Publishers would only have to agree - but with
vigorously - for the privatization of SRG.

René Worni, Editor