"Fantastic opportunities"
After 80 days on the job, Tamedia's new CEO, Martin Kall, presents his corporate strategy
After 80 days in office, the new Tamedia CEO Martin Kall presents his corporate strategyBy Daniel Schifferle With the announcement of the new corporate structure, Martin Kall outlines the scenario of an offensive Tamedia. A lengthy acquisition and cooperation policy in the print and radio sector is the order of the day. There are winners and losers in the management team.
Martin Kall, who has been CEO at Tamedia for 80 days, has announced his own vision. The new strategy draws a line under a difficult period. However, after the debacle with TV 3 and Winner, the next gallop is already on the cards. This time with print and radio. Kall announces a lengthy purchasing and cooperation policy - as a basic recipe in a densely populated media market. "We have to become more entrepreneurial and more medium-sized," says Kall, describing his new forward strategy.
He wants to organize Tamedia more effectively and clearly. This will be achieved by focusing on the three divisions of newspapers, magazines and electronic media. Long-established Tamedia executives will take their places in the management positions. This is a sign that the time for experiments is probably over for the time being.
Jürg Brauchli, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, heads the Newspapers division. Alexander Theobald will head the Magazines division. His task will be to expand Tamedia's position as the current number two in the Swiss magazine market. There is an unexpected solution in the electronic media division. This will be headed by Andreas Meili, the previous Head of Legal Services. In recent months, Meili was responsible for the successful acquisition of Radio Basilisk.
The choice of a person who has not previously managed a publishing house or editorial office is also an expression of where the electronic media sector is heading. In radio, further cooperations and acquisitions are on the cards, and a lawyer is the right person for the job. "Our aim is to build a family of stations with radio in German-speaking Switzerland," says Kall.
Belcom boss Christian Stärkle did not make it to the post of head of electronic media. However, Stärkle clearly distances himself from resignation rumors in this context. "Of course you think about every structural change, but I haven't really given much thought to the idea of resigning," Stärkle told WerbeWoche. And he adds: "Nothing will change in terms of my responsibilities."
An offensive is also called for in print media
Kall announces a strategy clearly focused on print, although he does not conceal his concern about the current position. "The gap between the other regional newspapers and the Tages-Anzeiger has narrowed in recent years," says Kall. He will keep all options open for his offensive course - especially in relation to 20 Minuten. Both acquisitions and cooperations are conceivable. "It's about intelligent concepts and intelligent cooperations," says Kall, citing the Mittelland Zeitung model as a good example.
He is focusing on Switzerland in the medium term. "In the next five years, there will be fantastic opportunities and unique chances in the Swiss media market," he says. The company may turn its attention to other countries later. Kall has set himself a horizon of five to ten years for his confident expansion strategy. "We have to work our way up with patience, it takes a lot of time."
The new structure is also taking its toll. In addition to the departing René Gehrig, previously Head of Publishing Marketing, numerous other employees will also have to come to terms with changes to their positions and responsibilities. Hans Jürg Klöti, who has been responsible for advertising for the entire Group for six years, is losing his previous role. He is now only responsible for the newspaper advertising market and for key account functions. He does not see the change as a demotion, he says. Klöti: "My previous function is no longer needed. I can live with that."
According to Peter Hartmeier, all those affected by downgrades and transfers have been informed. They were also given a few days to think things over. "There were no problems, everyone accepted their new situation," says the
Tamedia spokesman. The result surprised him with its clarity.
Among the losers is Philipp Löpfe, editor-in-chief of the Tages-Anzeiger, who is no longer a member of the management board. In the new structure, editors-in-chief and program directors can concentrate fully on their journalistic tasks, is the reason given.
The so-called Publizistische Konferenz (PK) is constituted as a new body in August. It will be chaired by Hans Heinrich Coninx and deputized by Martin Kall. All editors-in-chief, program directors, the online director and the head of corporate communications will be members. The PK discusses the journalistic orientation of the titles, reflects on content and advises the journalistic management on journalistic issues. "However, we will not install a chief journalist under the direction of the publisher; internal journalistic plurality remains our goal," Kall explains.
Martin Kall, who has been CEO at Tamedia for 80 days, has announced his own vision. The new strategy draws a line under a difficult period. However, after the debacle with TV 3 and Winner, the next gallop is already on the cards. This time with print and radio. Kall announces a lengthy purchasing and cooperation policy - as a basic recipe in a densely populated media market. "We have to become more entrepreneurial and more medium-sized," says Kall, describing his new forward strategy.
He wants to organize Tamedia more effectively and clearly. This will be achieved by focusing on the three divisions of newspapers, magazines and electronic media. Long-established Tamedia executives will take their places in the management positions. This is a sign that the time for experiments is probably over for the time being.
Jürg Brauchli, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, heads the Newspapers division. Alexander Theobald will head the Magazines division. His task will be to expand Tamedia's position as the current number two in the Swiss magazine market. There is an unexpected solution in the electronic media division. This will be headed by Andreas Meili, the previous Head of Legal Services. In recent months, Meili was responsible for the successful acquisition of Radio Basilisk.
The choice of a person who has not previously managed a publishing house or editorial office is also an expression of where the electronic media sector is heading. In radio, further cooperations and acquisitions are on the cards, and a lawyer is the right person for the job. "Our aim is to build a family of stations with radio in German-speaking Switzerland," says Kall.
Belcom boss Christian Stärkle did not make it to the post of head of electronic media. However, Stärkle clearly distances himself from resignation rumors in this context. "Of course you think about every structural change, but I haven't really given much thought to the idea of resigning," Stärkle told WerbeWoche. And he adds: "Nothing will change in terms of my responsibilities."
An offensive is also called for in print media
Kall announces a strategy clearly focused on print, although he does not conceal his concern about the current position. "The gap between the other regional newspapers and the Tages-Anzeiger has narrowed in recent years," says Kall. He will keep all options open for his offensive course - especially in relation to 20 Minuten. Both acquisitions and cooperations are conceivable. "It's about intelligent concepts and intelligent cooperations," says Kall, citing the Mittelland Zeitung model as a good example.
He is focusing on Switzerland in the medium term. "In the next five years, there will be fantastic opportunities and unique chances in the Swiss media market," he says. The company may turn its attention to other countries later. Kall has set himself a horizon of five to ten years for his confident expansion strategy. "We have to work our way up with patience, it takes a lot of time."
The new structure is also taking its toll. In addition to the departing René Gehrig, previously Head of Publishing Marketing, numerous other employees will also have to come to terms with changes to their positions and responsibilities. Hans Jürg Klöti, who has been responsible for advertising for the entire Group for six years, is losing his previous role. He is now only responsible for the newspaper advertising market and for key account functions. He does not see the change as a demotion, he says. Klöti: "My previous function is no longer needed. I can live with that."
According to Peter Hartmeier, all those affected by downgrades and transfers have been informed. They were also given a few days to think things over. "There were no problems, everyone accepted their new situation," says the
Tamedia spokesman. The result surprised him with its clarity.
Among the losers is Philipp Löpfe, editor-in-chief of the Tages-Anzeiger, who is no longer a member of the management board. In the new structure, editors-in-chief and program directors can concentrate fully on their journalistic tasks, is the reason given.
The so-called Publizistische Konferenz (PK) is constituted as a new body in August. It will be chaired by Hans Heinrich Coninx and deputized by Martin Kall. All editors-in-chief, program directors, the online director and the head of corporate communications will be members. The PK discusses the journalistic orientation of the titles, reflects on content and advises the journalistic management on journalistic issues. "However, we will not install a chief journalist under the direction of the publisher; internal journalistic plurality remains our goal," Kall explains.
