"The competition is too big"
Roger Blum, professor of media studies, on the reasons why *Die Weltwoche* is in decline
Roger Blum, Professor of Media Studies, on the reasons why Weltwoche is serbtingThree major Swiss publishers are reportedly interested in buying Weltwoche from the Basel Media Group. Does that make sense? Roger Blum, head of the Institute for Media Studies at the University of Bern, sees red for the paper, at least if its current concept remains in place.Mr. Blum, how do you assess Weltwoche's current image?
Roger Blum: You always have to distinguish between image and concrete perception. The image is unreservedly good, the newspaper has a good name. However, part of the audience probably doesn't recognize what Weltwoche currently wants in terms of journalism, because there have been many changes and different concepts over the last ten to 20 years.
Has the image changed significantly?
Blum: When it was founded, Weltwoche was, along with Nation, one of the newspapers that was strongly committed to opposing National Socialism and practiced journalism that was independent of party politics and, in some cases, non-conformist, setting itself apart as a "blue press" from the prevailing party papers and the few, rather non-political general advertisers such as Tages-Anzeiger or Tribune de Genève. As a result, Weltwoche quickly gained a reputation as a paper that needed to be paid attention to. Today, however, Weltwoche is no longer the only paper with this position. Both print and electronic media have come closer to it in journalistic style and resources. Moreover, a critical position no longer requires as much courage as it did at the time of the external threat. This does not change the image for this type, but it does change the position in the market, because many others apply the same concept.
So is Weltwoche in danger of going under?
Blum: In general, yes, because it was actually copied in all parts by others. However, there were also phases in which Weltwoche simply regurgitated what others had already produced. Under editor-in-chief Fredy Gsteiger, however, Weltwoche is trying to make the most of its role as a weekly newspaper - by asking different questions, interpreting different issues and providing different information. It continues to produce articles that surprise because it tackles topics differently than other media. But the once glaring difference between daily and weekly newspapers - topicality here, background there - no longer exists, since many daily newspapers have long since provided the background on a daily basis.
Does Weltwoche still have a chance at all?
Blum: This is constantly decreasing. In terms of audience, there are basically two groups that could read Weltwoche: first, the information-hungry, such as other media professionals, and the political, cultural and economic elite. But that's not enough to sustain Weltwoche. Secondly, those people who get the daily information in their region from media that provide hardly any supraregional, economic and cultural information and whose own services relate exclusively to the local. They benefit from a weekly newspaper with a background. However, the more press concentration progresses and also provides the public in peripheral regions with daily newspapers with more background information, the more these Weltwoche readers dwindle.
Why has BMG not been able to bring Weltwoche up to scratch for so many years?
Blum: Because no one else would have succeeded either. Because the train for such titles is now leaving the station: In terms of journalistic concept, the competition is simply too great.
The rumor that Weltwoche was to be sold is not new. But is the situation different today for the Basel Media Group (BMG)?
Blum: There are two developments that probably aim in the same direction: On the one hand, the paper became more high-profile again with Gsteiger. Not from zero to 100, but perhaps from 50 to 75. BMG presumably assumed that the cost curve would also develop similarly, which was not the case. The question now is whether BMG is prepared to feed such a title for another ten years or to throw the wheel around and make something completely different out of the title, or to sell the title if someone still wants it.
NZZ, Tamedia and Ringier are reportedly interested in buying Weltwoche. What attracts the three in view of the high deficit? Are they blinded by Weltwoche's prestige?
Blum: If someone wants to turn Weltwoche into something new, then an established title complete with subscription base and customer file is certainly a jump start.
Interview: Markus Knöpfli
Roger Blum: You always have to distinguish between image and concrete perception. The image is unreservedly good, the newspaper has a good name. However, part of the audience probably doesn't recognize what Weltwoche currently wants in terms of journalism, because there have been many changes and different concepts over the last ten to 20 years.
Has the image changed significantly?
Blum: When it was founded, Weltwoche was, along with Nation, one of the newspapers that was strongly committed to opposing National Socialism and practiced journalism that was independent of party politics and, in some cases, non-conformist, setting itself apart as a "blue press" from the prevailing party papers and the few, rather non-political general advertisers such as Tages-Anzeiger or Tribune de Genève. As a result, Weltwoche quickly gained a reputation as a paper that needed to be paid attention to. Today, however, Weltwoche is no longer the only paper with this position. Both print and electronic media have come closer to it in journalistic style and resources. Moreover, a critical position no longer requires as much courage as it did at the time of the external threat. This does not change the image for this type, but it does change the position in the market, because many others apply the same concept.
So is Weltwoche in danger of going under?
Blum: In general, yes, because it was actually copied in all parts by others. However, there were also phases in which Weltwoche simply regurgitated what others had already produced. Under editor-in-chief Fredy Gsteiger, however, Weltwoche is trying to make the most of its role as a weekly newspaper - by asking different questions, interpreting different issues and providing different information. It continues to produce articles that surprise because it tackles topics differently than other media. But the once glaring difference between daily and weekly newspapers - topicality here, background there - no longer exists, since many daily newspapers have long since provided the background on a daily basis.
Does Weltwoche still have a chance at all?
Blum: This is constantly decreasing. In terms of audience, there are basically two groups that could read Weltwoche: first, the information-hungry, such as other media professionals, and the political, cultural and economic elite. But that's not enough to sustain Weltwoche. Secondly, those people who get the daily information in their region from media that provide hardly any supraregional, economic and cultural information and whose own services relate exclusively to the local. They benefit from a weekly newspaper with a background. However, the more press concentration progresses and also provides the public in peripheral regions with daily newspapers with more background information, the more these Weltwoche readers dwindle.
Why has BMG not been able to bring Weltwoche up to scratch for so many years?
Blum: Because no one else would have succeeded either. Because the train for such titles is now leaving the station: In terms of journalistic concept, the competition is simply too great.
The rumor that Weltwoche was to be sold is not new. But is the situation different today for the Basel Media Group (BMG)?
Blum: There are two developments that probably aim in the same direction: On the one hand, the paper became more high-profile again with Gsteiger. Not from zero to 100, but perhaps from 50 to 75. BMG presumably assumed that the cost curve would also develop similarly, which was not the case. The question now is whether BMG is prepared to feed such a title for another ten years or to throw the wheel around and make something completely different out of the title, or to sell the title if someone still wants it.
NZZ, Tamedia and Ringier are reportedly interested in buying Weltwoche. What attracts the three in view of the high deficit? Are they blinded by Weltwoche's prestige?
Blum: If someone wants to turn Weltwoche into something new, then an established title complete with subscription base and customer file is certainly a jump start.
Interview: Markus Knöpfli
