20 Minuten to discontinue print edition at the end of 2025
20 Minuten is refocusing on the digital business and will discontinue the printed daily newspaper at the end of 2025. As part of the realignment, a national editorial team will be created and structural adjustments will affect up to 80 jobs.
20 minutes is discontinuing its printed daily newspaper throughout Switzerland at the end of 2025. This is the media company's response to changes in media usage and declining revenues in the print business. Over the past two years 20 minutes significantly expanded its digital market position and fully took over its own marketing at the beginning of 2025.
Investment in the digital offering is at the heart of the new strategy: substantial funds will flow into the further development of the product, brands and commercial offerings. From the fourth quarter of 2025, corresponding innovations are to be gradually introduced, including artificial intelligence applications and new digital advertising environments.
At the same time, the organization is being restructured. The previously separate editorial teams in German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland will be merged into one national editorial team with offices in Lausanne, Bern and Zurich. The regional offices in Basel, Geneva, Lucerne and St. Gallen are to be closed at the end of 2025. In future, regional reporting will be covered by a network of correspondents.
Désirée Pomper, currently journalistic director of the Swiss-German edition, will take over the overall journalistic management of 20 minutes and 20 Minutes. Philippe Favre, founding editor-in-chief of 20 Minutes, will become Directeur Romandie and will head up the Lausanne site as well as the activities in French-speaking Switzerland and the collaboration with the joint venture L'essentiel in Luxembourg. French-speaking Switzerland will also be represented in the national editorial team in future.
Subject to the ongoing consultation process, the changeover will lead to a reduction of up to 80 full-time positions in the editorial and publishing departments, the statement continues. A social plan is planned for the employees affected.
The printed edition of 20 Minuti in Ticino is also to be discontinued at the end of 2025. In future, activities in the region will focus on the news portal Tio/20 minuti. The print and online offering of L'essentiel in Luxembourg will remain unchanged.
"We are starting from pole position into the digital future and are completely realigning our services and our organization. At the same time, we very much regret the associated job cuts. We will support our employees closely during these changes," explains CEO Bernhard Brechbühl.
Désirée Pomper adds: "The new national editorial team allows us to work more closely together between German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland and create a digital product with content from a single source that continues to meet the needs of both parts of the country."
