From the old aunt's pot

Press network The NZZ subsidiary FPH is sticking to its pool model. But it hardly contributes to solving the industry's problems. "There is little interest in the press network",
says Bund editor-in-chief Hanspeter Spörri. René Bondt, Deputy
editor-in-chief of the Zürcher Oberländer, has the impression that "the
Press network never really got going." Benjamin Geiger,
Editor-in-chief of the Zürichsee Zeitung doubles down: "There was no question of
how the press network could be used and integrated into the
editorial planning."
Since press network inventor Beat Lauber, member of NZZ Group Management
and until recently head of regional press, about a year ago the
model, the press landscape in the greater Zurich area is
and neighboring north-eastern Switzerland. Three
Zurich's regional newspapers leaned towards the NZZ (Freie Presse
Holding/PubliGroupe), while the Landbote is in line with Tamedia.
recently followed by the Thurgauer Zeitung, which in
will become a wholly owned Tamedia subsidiary in the foreseeable future. "Many
Newspapers are competitors again today," says Geiger. Bondt too
doubts whether, following the emergence of these new alliances, a network
that can endure regardless of the changes "across the
newspaper landscape."

The idea is not convincing
The press network from NZZ was actually intended to
structural change to enable regional newspapers to operate more favorably.
content by exchanging and reusing texts online.
be realized. The idea focuses primarily on the supra-regional
departments that are not part of the core competence of the regional titles, but which
are nevertheless part of a complete newspaper. Savings there
would free up resources that would improve the quality of the regional
could be increased. But the idea does not seem to be convincing, as many
Newspapers are already exchanging articles and using
various joint correspondent pools, which is ideal for
works. "People haven't considered how little we already do for
stories," says Benjamin Geiger. The Zürichsee newspaper
uses, for example, correspondent pools with the Südostschweiz, with the
Limmattaler Tagblatt, occasionally with the Aargauer Zeitung or has
the same Federal Parliament correspondent as the Landbote.
The incentive to save money, one of the main arguments in favor of the press network, seems to be
weak: Journalistic texts have never been as cheap as they are today.
today, the decline in their value is therefore an indication of the
The state of the press. This is where the profession's conscience stirs. "The
The idea is captivating, but what will happen to the freelancers?" asks
says Ivo Bachmann, Editor-in-Chief of Basler Zeitung. "We want to be in the
We don't want to "take the water out of the free market" in the current bad times,
says René Bondt from Oberländer. There are also fears that in
the supra-regional departments, which have already shrunk to their limits
other jobs would be at risk.
In fact, no solution has yet been found, as press articles from the
press network are to be invoiced or, as the case may be, how free
Journalists in a pool with their texts against the competition
could exist. But it's not that far yet. The press network
- still in the test phase - does not want to get off the ground.
"The project no longer has top priority," says Pepe Wiss,
Managing Director of the NZZ subsidiary Freie Presse Holding (FPH) and
Project manager.

Little desire to deliver content
Approved for test operation and the corresponding software installed
ten regional newspapers from the Zurich, Berne, Lucerne and
Northeastern Switzerland. However, their content is limited solely to
Economic issues in the Zurich area.
However, there seems to be little desire to share the pool with
content. "We checked it a few times, but it was
nothing in it," says Unterländer editor-in-chief Christine Fivian,
especially as the paper, by virtue of its expertise in the field of airport
Kloten would have a lot to contribute. Nevertheless, the Zurich
Falkenstrasse that the project will come to fruition: "If enough texts
are in place, then everything gets rolling," Wiss is convinced.
But the needs of the editorial teams differ. For Hanspeter
Spörri from the Confederation is clear: "The newspapers are too different.
Personalities." The inventor of Pressenetz, Beat Lauber, does not see this as
Problem: "There are solutions for everyone", the different interests
could be easily grouped together technically. For Lauber, the
However, the realization of the press network is highly urgent.
environment, revenue erosion will continue to increase. That is why we need
a solution for the entire industry. "But obviously the pressure of suffering
of publishers is still too small." Interest in the press network would be
otherwise greater, he estimates.
Pepe Wiss wants to relaunch the project by next spring and
explore the technical possibilities. If the press network is completely
then the NZZ will also lose a strategic instrument to
in the network of regional quality newspapers, the
to take on a leading role and help publishers willing to expand such as
to stand up to Tamedia.

René Worni