Cloudy pool harmony
Print The integration of *Der Bund* into the Bern newspaper pool is not going smoothly.
Print The integration of the Bund into the Bern newspaper pool is not going smoothly.The Bern newspaper pool, consisting of Berner Zeitung (BZ), Bieler Tagblatt (BT), Walliser Bote (WB) and Freiburger Nachrichten (FN), is characterized by flexibility: Advertising customers can book it as a whole or combine it as they wish.Although the Bund is now being added, the variants are not increasing in size. The reason: the Bund should only appear in the advertising market as a fixed part of the BZ circulation, according to the BZ strategy. In doing so, however, it seems to have somewhat overrun the other pool members. "This rigid element is not in keeping with the pool spirit," says BT publishing director Joachim Tillessen. His concern is that the 18 percent price increase (a four-color page now costs CHF 42,336) will make the pool too expensive for some customers, which is why they are increasingly leaving out smaller pool members instead of booking the entire pool. Tillessen adds that he has already received feedback to this effect from customers. He adds: "The discussion in the pool is not easy. The problem is the rigid stance of BZ." Whether pool membership is still worthwhile for BT is currently "difficult to say", he says.
It is unclear whether the BT is alone in this. The WB did not want to comment and only referred to the BZ. At the FN, on the other hand, Director Paul Stritt is loyal to the BZ. He could also have imagined the Bund as an additional module. But he has not received any negative customer reactions. "The Bund strengthens the pool and the price per thousand readers falls. For
membership is still worthwhile for us," he says.
BZ advertising manager Michael Seiler has even received "positive customer feedback". "We expect booking behavior to be in line with the economic situation, but stable," he says. Alluding to quarrelling pool partners, he explains: "The Bern newspaper pool is not a compulsory combination. All participating publishers are free to renew their contracts or not."
Markus Knöpfli
It is unclear whether the BT is alone in this. The WB did not want to comment and only referred to the BZ. At the FN, on the other hand, Director Paul Stritt is loyal to the BZ. He could also have imagined the Bund as an additional module. But he has not received any negative customer reactions. "The Bund strengthens the pool and the price per thousand readers falls. For
membership is still worthwhile for us," he says.
BZ advertising manager Michael Seiler has even received "positive customer feedback". "We expect booking behavior to be in line with the economic situation, but stable," he says. Alluding to quarrelling pool partners, he explains: "The Bern newspaper pool is not a compulsory combination. All participating publishers are free to renew their contracts or not."
Markus Knöpfli
