Coninx's presidential term nears end
The Swiss Press Association is raising membership dues and upgrading the presidency
The Swiss Press Association increases membership fees and upgrades the presidiumOn the occasion of the departure of its managing director Peter Hartmeier, the Swiss Press Association is turning its organizational structure upside down and increasing membership fees. The Presidium is gaining significant influence (see also the interview with Peter Hartmeier, page 5).Under the leadership of Marco de Stoppani, a project group has been working on a new organizational structure for the Swiss Press Association over the past two years. Last week, the new rules were approved by the general meeting with virtually no objections. The changes are drastic. In addition to higher membership fees, a reorganization of the working groups in particular brings a breath of fresh air to the association.
The previous division into national/regional and regional/local newspapers, magazines, advertising market and distribution was considered outdated because it did not adequately address market realities. In its place are the seven departments of user market, advertising market, law, education, ethics, distribution and technology, which are intended to iron out this weakness. But just as drastic as the reformulation of content is the internal assignment of the new working groups to the association. Instead of being assigned to the administrative office, they are now attached to the Executive Board. Formally, this is reflected in the fact that the heads of the departments will now also be members of the presidium.
In another important change, Swiss Press has increased its membership fees. The total increase is 17.5 percent. However, not all members will be asked to pay to the same extent. Smaller media houses will pay disproportionately more in the future, as the minimum contribution per member has been almost doubled from 1300 francs to 2500 francs.
The voting rights that are linked to the contributions have also been redistributed. Instead of up to 15 votes or more per group of companies, as was previously the case, the number per media house is now limited to a maximum of eight. With the upper limit, the association democracy has been structured more sensibly.
Coninx's days as association president are numbered
The new statutes will come into force on September 20/21 at the Association Congress in Montreux. Not only will the new General Assembly be constituted then. The Presidium, which will in future consist of the President and the seven Department Heads, will also be newly appointed. Hans Heinrich Coninx will be standing for re-election to the presidency, but as reliable sources have it, he will be in office for another year or so, but certainly not for the entire four-year term.
There was no comment from Coninx himself. Only reassuring words from his secretariat: Coninx is president until further notice, a resignation is not an issue at the moment. The fact is that Coninx cannot resign at the same time as Hartmeier, because the new association structure must first be implemented.
But the handover of the baton is not far off, that's for sure. After ten years of Coninx, will the time soon come when Ringier takes the reins at the Swiss Press Association? The largest Swiss publishing house would certainly be entitled to this role. Daniel Schifferle
The previous division into national/regional and regional/local newspapers, magazines, advertising market and distribution was considered outdated because it did not adequately address market realities. In its place are the seven departments of user market, advertising market, law, education, ethics, distribution and technology, which are intended to iron out this weakness. But just as drastic as the reformulation of content is the internal assignment of the new working groups to the association. Instead of being assigned to the administrative office, they are now attached to the Executive Board. Formally, this is reflected in the fact that the heads of the departments will now also be members of the presidium.
In another important change, Swiss Press has increased its membership fees. The total increase is 17.5 percent. However, not all members will be asked to pay to the same extent. Smaller media houses will pay disproportionately more in the future, as the minimum contribution per member has been almost doubled from 1300 francs to 2500 francs.
The voting rights that are linked to the contributions have also been redistributed. Instead of up to 15 votes or more per group of companies, as was previously the case, the number per media house is now limited to a maximum of eight. With the upper limit, the association democracy has been structured more sensibly.
Coninx's days as association president are numbered
The new statutes will come into force on September 20/21 at the Association Congress in Montreux. Not only will the new General Assembly be constituted then. The Presidium, which will in future consist of the President and the seven Department Heads, will also be newly appointed. Hans Heinrich Coninx will be standing for re-election to the presidency, but as reliable sources have it, he will be in office for another year or so, but certainly not for the entire four-year term.
There was no comment from Coninx himself. Only reassuring words from his secretariat: Coninx is president until further notice, a resignation is not an issue at the moment. The fact is that Coninx cannot resign at the same time as Hartmeier, because the new association structure must first be implemented.
But the handover of the baton is not far off, that's for sure. After ten years of Coninx, will the time soon come when Ringier takes the reins at the Swiss Press Association? The largest Swiss publishing house would certainly be entitled to this role. Daniel Schifferle
