"Many opportunities on Zug roads"
Daniel Brunner wants to whip the Zug press into shape
Daniel Brunner wants to whip the Zuger Presse into shapeBy Bruno Amstutz The Zuger Presse experiment is heading for ruin. The alternative to the powerful competitor Neue Zuger Zeitung has exhausted its financial reserves. Now Daniel Brunner wants to turn things around.
"I describe myself as impatient, but long-suffering. But my long-suffering is at an end." Landis & Gyr heir Daniel Brunner wants to take the business of Zuger Presse into his own hands. As one of the main shareholders and founding fathers of the newspaper, he also has to bear a large share of the financial losses: they amounted to CHF 1.3 million last year.
Now Brunner is pulling the emergency brake and setting out on a new course, under his own direction. To do this, he needs the approval of the other shareholders. Brunner already owns 23.5 percent of the shares, but the voting weight is limited to 10 percent. This rule must be lifted on May 9 by a majority of 75 percent of the votes so that Brunner can do as he pleases.
His grab for the majority of the shares and the management still has to be approved, but Brunner's ideas about the new direction of Zuger Presse are already concrete. "Print alone won't get us into the black," he is convinced, "but opportunities are aplenty on Zug's streets."
The greatest potential lies in the Internet
Brunner senses great potential above all in the Internet sector and thus wants to turn the plight of the print edition into the virtue of the new Zug press. A daily newspaper would not be financially viable at the present time, and the high costs are even forcing the editors to reduce the print editions: Starting in the fall of 2000, the Zuger Presse will appear only twice a week instead of three times.
The Zug press delivers the latest news on the net, because it can no longer guarantee the print edition on a permanent basis. New sources of income are also opening up there: Banner advertising, subscribable information channels and e-shops.
"We no longer want to just sell print and ads," says Daniel Brunner, explaining the concept, "because choice increases consumer delight." Discussion forums and marketplaces are intended to encourage active participation by the public, and a web factory will offer services.
A second mainstay is urgently needed, because the print version of the Zuger Presse is undergoing a complete overhaul. The Monday edition is being cancelled, as is early delivery. These measures will reduce costs, but subscription prices will also have to be lowered, and logically, fewer issues also mean a drop in advertising.
In addition, the subscription combination with the Tages-Anzeiger expires at the end of this year, and continuation is not assured. Brunner is very interested in a further cooperation, but he remains realistic: "The combination was favorable for the Zug press, but expensive marketing for the Tages-Anzeiger. But Zug is an interesting place in the longer term." Around half of Zuger Presse's current circulation of just under 5500 copies was generated by the Abokombi.
In order to attract advertisers again, the Zuger Presse will undergo a redesign in the fall. A clear section structure and special pages planned for the long term are intended to attract advertisers, while marketplaces and entertainment pages are intended to increase reading pleasure. However, Daniel Brunner does not envisage a complete repositioning: "We have a journalistic bracket that holds together the most diverse sections of the population. We want to maintain that."
Seeing Daniel Brunner as the sole captain of the Zug press might not please some Zug residents. His past as a left-green regional politician has earned him the nickname "the red Dani". But Brunner does not want to offer this attack surface in his position. Both the editorial team and he himself emphasize the journalistic independence of the Zug press. Brunner does not want to create a Zug WoZ and only wants to be seen in his function as an entrepreneur, not as a politician.
Professional competence instead of political orientation
In the future, the Board of Directors should also be a technically oriented body and not a political one. A first step towards refreshment has been taken with the participation of Matthias Luchsinger, CEO of Cinecom & Media AG. "Matthias should bring his professional expertise to the table," says Brunner, "and he's also an image booster." Luchsinger's involvement, Brunner hopes, could also send positive signals in the direction of TA-Media.
"I describe myself as impatient, but long-suffering. But my long-suffering is at an end." Landis & Gyr heir Daniel Brunner wants to take the business of Zuger Presse into his own hands. As one of the main shareholders and founding fathers of the newspaper, he also has to bear a large share of the financial losses: they amounted to CHF 1.3 million last year.
Now Brunner is pulling the emergency brake and setting out on a new course, under his own direction. To do this, he needs the approval of the other shareholders. Brunner already owns 23.5 percent of the shares, but the voting weight is limited to 10 percent. This rule must be lifted on May 9 by a majority of 75 percent of the votes so that Brunner can do as he pleases.
His grab for the majority of the shares and the management still has to be approved, but Brunner's ideas about the new direction of Zuger Presse are already concrete. "Print alone won't get us into the black," he is convinced, "but opportunities are aplenty on Zug's streets."
The greatest potential lies in the Internet
Brunner senses great potential above all in the Internet sector and thus wants to turn the plight of the print edition into the virtue of the new Zug press. A daily newspaper would not be financially viable at the present time, and the high costs are even forcing the editors to reduce the print editions: Starting in the fall of 2000, the Zuger Presse will appear only twice a week instead of three times.
The Zug press delivers the latest news on the net, because it can no longer guarantee the print edition on a permanent basis. New sources of income are also opening up there: Banner advertising, subscribable information channels and e-shops.
"We no longer want to just sell print and ads," says Daniel Brunner, explaining the concept, "because choice increases consumer delight." Discussion forums and marketplaces are intended to encourage active participation by the public, and a web factory will offer services.
A second mainstay is urgently needed, because the print version of the Zuger Presse is undergoing a complete overhaul. The Monday edition is being cancelled, as is early delivery. These measures will reduce costs, but subscription prices will also have to be lowered, and logically, fewer issues also mean a drop in advertising.
In addition, the subscription combination with the Tages-Anzeiger expires at the end of this year, and continuation is not assured. Brunner is very interested in a further cooperation, but he remains realistic: "The combination was favorable for the Zug press, but expensive marketing for the Tages-Anzeiger. But Zug is an interesting place in the longer term." Around half of Zuger Presse's current circulation of just under 5500 copies was generated by the Abokombi.
In order to attract advertisers again, the Zuger Presse will undergo a redesign in the fall. A clear section structure and special pages planned for the long term are intended to attract advertisers, while marketplaces and entertainment pages are intended to increase reading pleasure. However, Daniel Brunner does not envisage a complete repositioning: "We have a journalistic bracket that holds together the most diverse sections of the population. We want to maintain that."
Seeing Daniel Brunner as the sole captain of the Zug press might not please some Zug residents. His past as a left-green regional politician has earned him the nickname "the red Dani". But Brunner does not want to offer this attack surface in his position. Both the editorial team and he himself emphasize the journalistic independence of the Zug press. Brunner does not want to create a Zug WoZ and only wants to be seen in his function as an entrepreneur, not as a politician.
Professional competence instead of political orientation
In the future, the Board of Directors should also be a technically oriented body and not a political one. A first step towards refreshment has been taken with the participation of Matthias Luchsinger, CEO of Cinecom & Media AG. "Matthias should bring his professional expertise to the table," says Brunner, "and he's also an image booster." Luchsinger's involvement, Brunner hopes, could also send positive signals in the direction of TA-Media.
