BTM occupies the midland virtually
The Berner Zeitung is considering a split edition for Solothurn
The Berner Zeitung is considering a split edition for SolothurnBy Markus Knöpfli The Berner Tagblatt Mediengruppe (BTM) is consistently focusing its media on the Espace Mittelland, starting in the fall also with an Internet portal. In the case of the Berner Zeitung, it is considering a Solothurn split edition, in case the Solothurner Zeitung becomes closely involved with the Aargauer Zeitung or NZZ.
The Berner Tagblatt Mediengruppe (BTM) wants to develop a portal with all the group's own media categories and become the "leading information provider on the Internet for Berne and the Espace Mittelland" from autumn 2000. To this end, it will invest around CHF 20 million over the next three years.
With partners from technology, business, culture, government and NPOs, it wants to establish a regional service and product offering for the most important areas of life. In parallel, BTM is developing an agricultural thematic portal for the whole of German-speaking Switzerland. In total, it wants to create fifty new jobs.
BTM waves a fence post at the Solothurner Zeitung
But BTM also wants to grow with the Berner Zeitung (BZ). That's why it has been courting the Solothurner Zeitung (SZ) for a long time. Last week, the courtship turned into a threat: in the event that SZ enters into a close cooperation with the Aargauer Zeitung (AZ) or NZZ, BTM still wants to implement its strategy in the Solothurn area and "take advantage of the opportunities that competition offers us," BTM CEO Charles von Graffenried announced in the BZ of May 15. "In any case, we have made the necessary reserved decisions."
The Chairman of the Board of Directors was even more explicit in an interview with WerbeWoche. He confirmed that he was at least considering a BZ split edition for the Solothurn region as "one of several possibilities." "I know how high the costs would be, I have had them calculated." Clarifying, however, he held that the BZ does not choose an aggressive strategy on its own. It would only react with a split edition if the SZ were to launch a newspaper for the southern foothills of the Jura together with the Aargauer Zeitung, as has been rumored in various quarters.
No empty words, because the BZ is in a position to finance a Solothurn split edition, all the more so if it can save one elsewhere. This will soon be the case in the Oberland, if the Competition Commission (Weko) accepts the cooperation with the Berner Oberland Zeitung (WW 13/00).
BZ circulation to grow to around 200000 copies
According to von Graffenried, the BTM expansion plans at BZ and in the online area are based on the following considerations: In order for BZ to remain "indispensable" for the advertising market, its circulation must increase from the current 135,000 to around 200,000 copies. The BZ therefore wants to establish itself as the newspaper of the Espace Mittelland over the next ten years. Hence the planned cooperation in the Oberland, the courting of the SZ and the contacts with the Freiburger Nachrichten. The purchases of the Solothurner Woche (1996), the Murtenbieter (1999) and the Berner Bär (1999) are related to this. Since BTM expects more advertising volume to flow into the electronic media, it is also expanding strongly on the Internet.
What role does competitor Bund play in the FC strategy? "The federal government should not disappear, it is a strong impetus for BTM. But we don't want to give it any gifts," says von Graffenried. The fact that he is serious about this is shown by the fact that, via the BZ of May 15, he offered the Confederation for the first time to print in the planned new BTM printing center from 2004. Such an offer was unthinkable a year ago. He justifies his about-turn with image considerations: "An expansion of the Bund printing plant would be unacceptable for the affected neighborhood, which is why sticking to our strategy on this point would also be ecologically absurd".
He does not consider the scoreboard dispute to be absurd. An official advertiser in and around Bern, jointly supported by BTM and the federal government, is out of the question for von Graffenried. The fact that lower BTM batches as well as representatives of Bernese authorities, NZZ and competitor Bund consider a joint advertiser to be the "most sensible solution" does not count for him. "Our strategy is clear: We don't give gifts to the Bund," he repeats. How he will react if the BTM does not receive the concession for the official publications today, Thursday, he leaves open.
Three growth options for the MTM GroupCharles von Graffenried sees three main growth options for BZ over the next ten years or so:
The BTM boss believes that growth through cooperation - in line with the planned variant in the Oberland - is "probably the best option". For all parties involved, this is "a win-win option acceptable to all sides.
Growth through pure acquisition, on the other hand, is hardly an option, since according to recent decisions by the Weko, such an acquisition "is apparently judged to be problematic in terms of competition law".
While growth through aggression - such as launching a Solothurn split edition - is not out of the question, von Graffenried says it could undermine the credibility of the BTM and BZ. "It destroys the basis for cooperations in general."
BTM with record result1999 was BTM's best business year to date. With sales of 194 million Swiss francs, net profit after taxes rose by 58.5 percent to 32.8 million Swiss francs, while cash flow increased by 41.9 percent to 40.3 million Swiss francs. Profit even climbed 63.6 percent to 23.4 million francs. According to BTM, the growth is attributable to market share gains in the advertising sector (Berner Zeitung) and to expansion in the printing sector.
The largest BTM subsidiary, Berner Zeitung, achieved a cash flow of CHF 29.7 (22.9) million on sales of CHF 121.3 (1998: 110.4) million. Radio ExtraBern and TeleBärn, however, did not reach their budget targets. (mk)
the figures of the BTM group (in fr. million)
The Berner Tagblatt Mediengruppe (BTM) wants to develop a portal with all the group's own media categories and become the "leading information provider on the Internet for Berne and the Espace Mittelland" from autumn 2000. To this end, it will invest around CHF 20 million over the next three years.
With partners from technology, business, culture, government and NPOs, it wants to establish a regional service and product offering for the most important areas of life. In parallel, BTM is developing an agricultural thematic portal for the whole of German-speaking Switzerland. In total, it wants to create fifty new jobs.
BTM waves a fence post at the Solothurner Zeitung
But BTM also wants to grow with the Berner Zeitung (BZ). That's why it has been courting the Solothurner Zeitung (SZ) for a long time. Last week, the courtship turned into a threat: in the event that SZ enters into a close cooperation with the Aargauer Zeitung (AZ) or NZZ, BTM still wants to implement its strategy in the Solothurn area and "take advantage of the opportunities that competition offers us," BTM CEO Charles von Graffenried announced in the BZ of May 15. "In any case, we have made the necessary reserved decisions."
The Chairman of the Board of Directors was even more explicit in an interview with WerbeWoche. He confirmed that he was at least considering a BZ split edition for the Solothurn region as "one of several possibilities." "I know how high the costs would be, I have had them calculated." Clarifying, however, he held that the BZ does not choose an aggressive strategy on its own. It would only react with a split edition if the SZ were to launch a newspaper for the southern foothills of the Jura together with the Aargauer Zeitung, as has been rumored in various quarters.
No empty words, because the BZ is in a position to finance a Solothurn split edition, all the more so if it can save one elsewhere. This will soon be the case in the Oberland, if the Competition Commission (Weko) accepts the cooperation with the Berner Oberland Zeitung (WW 13/00).
BZ circulation to grow to around 200000 copies
According to von Graffenried, the BTM expansion plans at BZ and in the online area are based on the following considerations: In order for BZ to remain "indispensable" for the advertising market, its circulation must increase from the current 135,000 to around 200,000 copies. The BZ therefore wants to establish itself as the newspaper of the Espace Mittelland over the next ten years. Hence the planned cooperation in the Oberland, the courting of the SZ and the contacts with the Freiburger Nachrichten. The purchases of the Solothurner Woche (1996), the Murtenbieter (1999) and the Berner Bär (1999) are related to this. Since BTM expects more advertising volume to flow into the electronic media, it is also expanding strongly on the Internet.
What role does competitor Bund play in the FC strategy? "The federal government should not disappear, it is a strong impetus for BTM. But we don't want to give it any gifts," says von Graffenried. The fact that he is serious about this is shown by the fact that, via the BZ of May 15, he offered the Confederation for the first time to print in the planned new BTM printing center from 2004. Such an offer was unthinkable a year ago. He justifies his about-turn with image considerations: "An expansion of the Bund printing plant would be unacceptable for the affected neighborhood, which is why sticking to our strategy on this point would also be ecologically absurd".
He does not consider the scoreboard dispute to be absurd. An official advertiser in and around Bern, jointly supported by BTM and the federal government, is out of the question for von Graffenried. The fact that lower BTM batches as well as representatives of Bernese authorities, NZZ and competitor Bund consider a joint advertiser to be the "most sensible solution" does not count for him. "Our strategy is clear: We don't give gifts to the Bund," he repeats. How he will react if the BTM does not receive the concession for the official publications today, Thursday, he leaves open.
Three growth options for the MTM GroupCharles von Graffenried sees three main growth options for BZ over the next ten years or so:
The BTM boss believes that growth through cooperation - in line with the planned variant in the Oberland - is "probably the best option". For all parties involved, this is "a win-win option acceptable to all sides.
Growth through pure acquisition, on the other hand, is hardly an option, since according to recent decisions by the Weko, such an acquisition "is apparently judged to be problematic in terms of competition law".
While growth through aggression - such as launching a Solothurn split edition - is not out of the question, von Graffenried says it could undermine the credibility of the BTM and BZ. "It destroys the basis for cooperations in general."
BTM with record result1999 was BTM's best business year to date. With sales of 194 million Swiss francs, net profit after taxes rose by 58.5 percent to 32.8 million Swiss francs, while cash flow increased by 41.9 percent to 40.3 million Swiss francs. Profit even climbed 63.6 percent to 23.4 million francs. According to BTM, the growth is attributable to market share gains in the advertising sector (Berner Zeitung) and to expansion in the printing sector.
The largest BTM subsidiary, Berner Zeitung, achieved a cash flow of CHF 29.7 (22.9) million on sales of CHF 121.3 (1998: 110.4) million. Radio ExtraBern and TeleBärn, however, did not reach their budget targets. (mk)
the figures of the BTM group (in fr. million)
1999 1998 Change
Sales 194.0 187.5 + 3.5 %
Operating result 31.1 21.2 + 46.7 %
Net profit 23.4 14.3 + 63.6 %
Cash flow 40.3 28.4 + 41.9 %
Employees 489 488 + 1
Source: BTM Annual Report
The BTM Group remained healthy and strong in 1999.
