To the point: Sibyls on a high
Questions about the effective owners of media companies or the possible backers of potential buyers are always a popular guessing game in the media industry.
That's where the action is and speculation is rife. For the game to be really attractive, it needs a few basic prerequisites. First of all, a medium that initiates the discussion in the first place. The fact that this is usually one that appears on Sunday may only surprise the absolute amateur. After all, the point is to be quoted everywhere by the next Monday at the latest. Even better, if the story makes it into the electronic media on Sunday evening.
Furthermore, there is a need for informants who do not want to be named, but nevertheless know everything, and experts who very well want to be named, but know nothing at all. It is always good to include possible conspiracy theories. So after the slogan "who has already times with whom" and "who wants in no case more with this, because the other already always".
The reactions of those directly affected are also very important. That's when it really gets down to business: O-tones in print. Those CEOs who have a press spokesperson are in the clear. The statement "We do not comment on speculation" comes easily from their smiling lips. It becomes more difficult when the CEOs have to answer directly. There are various possibilities. Some say in an extremely meaningful way that "such a commitment/interest can neither be confirmed nor denied.
Or one wants "not to comment on the matter to newspaper XY". You can also go underground. Then it is simply said that "unfortunately no one could be reached for a statement by the editorial deadline. This silence is not entirely unproblematic, because it allows the story to continue unscrupulously. Now, however, new extras are needed: good acquaintances, hostile competitors, former business partners or colleagues from the guild, association, Guggenmusig. It doesn't really matter where they come from or what their name is, they don't want to read their name in the newspaper anyway. All the more concisely therefore the formulations: "he always wanted" and "I can imagine that well". With these new statements, one can then confront the experts again - perhaps there are new aspects. We will hear a lot in the next weeks: TeleZüri is up for sale and at Rheinknie there are also some secrets waiting to be revealed.
We are happy about that.
Pierre C. Meier, Editor-in-Chief
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