BaZ makes its own commuter newspaper

Beat Meyer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Basler Mediengruppe (BMG), expects that one of the Zurich commuter newspapers will expand to Basel "in 18 months at the latest. BMG, which has the daily free newspaper Baslerstab (circulation 103726 copies) and the free weekly newspaper Basler Woche (177800 copies) in Basel, wants to prepare for this with a new newspaper project (see also page 21).Meyer confirmed to WerbeWoche that this project version is "the most obvious: Baslerstab will be merged with Basler Woche and upgraded. The new paper will be distributed to all households six times a week, but consideration is being given to expanding the distribution area beyond that of Baslerstab, which also sells 55,000 copies in the Baden area every 14 days. In addition, the new free newspaper will also be available in boxes at the stops of the Basler Verkehrsbetriebe (BVB) and Baselland Transport AG (BLT). Meyer confirms that BMG has already submitted a corresponding application, which, according to BVB spokesman Pius Marrer, will be decided on this year. For the time being, BMG will not receive any box locations from SBB and Deutsche Bahn (DB). DB does not allow competition with Schmitt kiosks on its soil. SBB is waiting for clarification of the legal situation in Zurich. (mk)