Weko puts the brakes on BTM
Gossweiler Media AG nevertheless launches Jungfrau newspaper
Gossweiler Media AG nevertheless launches Jungfrau-ZeitungThe Competition Commission (Weko) is examining the cooperation between Berner Zeitung (BZ) and Berner Oberland Medien AG in more detail, which will at least delay the realization of the project. The publishing houses Schaer Thun AG and G. Maurer AG, Spiez, want to found Berner Oberland Medien AG (BOM) and publish the Berner Oberland Zeitung (BOZ) from November. Two regional editions (Thuner Tagblatt and Berner Oberländer) with editorially independent local sections are planned. However, thanks to a cooperation agreement, the Berner Zeitung (BZ) is to supply the main section.
This would increase the BZ circulation from the current 134,000 copies to around 17,000 copies. The BZ currently holds a 49 percent stake in Schaer Thun, but would not be directly represented on the BOM Board of Directors (see WW 13/00). Because of the new BOZ, the Oberländische Volksblatt (OV) and the BZ Oberland edition would disappear.
The Competition Commission has now come to the conclusion that BZ "would take over economic control" of the BOM to be founded through the cooperation. In addition, a preliminary examination has shown "that there are indications of the creation of a dominant market position", writes the Competition Commission.
It now wants to examine in more detail by October 10 whether this will also "eliminate, create or strengthen effective competition". Depending on which is the case, it can either prohibit the merger or approve it subject to conditions.
As a result of the Weko decision, the newspapers involved in the BOM merger, Thuner Tagblatt and Berner Oberländer, the OV and the Oberland edition of the BZ, will continue to be published independently at least until spring 2001, said the designated BOM managing director Konrad Maurer.
Will the Weko-No also overturn the BTM strategies?
Albert P. Stäheli, BTM Board Delegate, was unavailable for WerbeWoche. However, the current situation represents a major setback for BTM. Board Chairman Charles von Graffenried had already made it clear that BTM would have to rethink its entire strategy after a Weko-Njet on the Oberland project. BTM had assumed that the cooperation with BOM could also serve as a possible model in the Solothurn or Fribourg areas.
Will the Weko decision also delay the publication of the new Jungfrau Zeitung (JZ) from Gossweiler Media AG (WW 22/00), which after all cooperates with the Echo von Grindelwald, which is currently still one of the OV's head papers? But JZ initiator Urs Gossweiler waves the question away: The JZ will be published as planned on October 6, with the Echo von Grindelwald as one of the three front pages. This decision, which is also confirmed by Echo publishing director André Zbinden, was made at short notice over Whitsun. Gossweiler said that it could not be ruled out that the Echo would also be published in parallel as an OV edition by the end of the year.
Nevertheless, Gossweiler also criticizes the Weko decision because it makes the JZ launch more laborious and more expensive. Gossweiler, otherwise a competitor of BZ, this time takes up the cudgels for his powerful colleague von Graffenried. The planned cooperation between BZ and BOM will leave a gap, which will enable the launch of JZ and thus the emergence of new local competition, he says.
But there is another reason for the pat on the back: Gossweiler has negotiated a deal with von Graffenried, the content of which both are keeping quiet about. However, Gossweiler speaks of "significant concessions" by BTM, which would "improve the general conditions of the JZ" - but only if the BOZ is allowed to appear.
However, if the BOZ does not get the green light, the BTM concessions will also become null and void, which would worsen the chances of the JZ project, if only because there would then be three newspapers in the small Bernese Oberland market - at least in the short term. Because Gossweiler has now put himself under pressure to succeed with his "Whitsun decision", he is keen to ensure that the BOZ is allowed to launch soon.
Markus Knöpfli
This would increase the BZ circulation from the current 134,000 copies to around 17,000 copies. The BZ currently holds a 49 percent stake in Schaer Thun, but would not be directly represented on the BOM Board of Directors (see WW 13/00). Because of the new BOZ, the Oberländische Volksblatt (OV) and the BZ Oberland edition would disappear.
The Competition Commission has now come to the conclusion that BZ "would take over economic control" of the BOM to be founded through the cooperation. In addition, a preliminary examination has shown "that there are indications of the creation of a dominant market position", writes the Competition Commission.
It now wants to examine in more detail by October 10 whether this will also "eliminate, create or strengthen effective competition". Depending on which is the case, it can either prohibit the merger or approve it subject to conditions.
As a result of the Weko decision, the newspapers involved in the BOM merger, Thuner Tagblatt and Berner Oberländer, the OV and the Oberland edition of the BZ, will continue to be published independently at least until spring 2001, said the designated BOM managing director Konrad Maurer.
Will the Weko-No also overturn the BTM strategies?
Albert P. Stäheli, BTM Board Delegate, was unavailable for WerbeWoche. However, the current situation represents a major setback for BTM. Board Chairman Charles von Graffenried had already made it clear that BTM would have to rethink its entire strategy after a Weko-Njet on the Oberland project. BTM had assumed that the cooperation with BOM could also serve as a possible model in the Solothurn or Fribourg areas.
Will the Weko decision also delay the publication of the new Jungfrau Zeitung (JZ) from Gossweiler Media AG (WW 22/00), which after all cooperates with the Echo von Grindelwald, which is currently still one of the OV's head papers? But JZ initiator Urs Gossweiler waves the question away: The JZ will be published as planned on October 6, with the Echo von Grindelwald as one of the three front pages. This decision, which is also confirmed by Echo publishing director André Zbinden, was made at short notice over Whitsun. Gossweiler said that it could not be ruled out that the Echo would also be published in parallel as an OV edition by the end of the year.
Nevertheless, Gossweiler also criticizes the Weko decision because it makes the JZ launch more laborious and more expensive. Gossweiler, otherwise a competitor of BZ, this time takes up the cudgels for his powerful colleague von Graffenried. The planned cooperation between BZ and BOM will leave a gap, which will enable the launch of JZ and thus the emergence of new local competition, he says.
But there is another reason for the pat on the back: Gossweiler has negotiated a deal with von Graffenried, the content of which both are keeping quiet about. However, Gossweiler speaks of "significant concessions" by BTM, which would "improve the general conditions of the JZ" - but only if the BOZ is allowed to appear.
However, if the BOZ does not get the green light, the BTM concessions will also become null and void, which would worsen the chances of the JZ project, if only because there would then be three newspapers in the small Bernese Oberland market - at least in the short term. Because Gossweiler has now put himself under pressure to succeed with his "Whitsun decision", he is keen to ensure that the BOZ is allowed to launch soon.
Markus Knöpfli
