Basel, Bern and Zurich receive new commuter newspaper
Basler Zeitung Medien, Tamedia, and Espace Media plan to launch a new commuter newspaper later this year. The name of the new newspaper has not yet been decided. However, the plan is for it to establish a clear connection to the three regional newspapers: the Basler Zeitung, the Tages-Anzeiger, and the Berner Zeitung. The new paper will be distributed via newspaper boxes and will focus more on relevant news than on «sex and crime.» It will be part of the Metropool advertising network.
Basler Zeitung Medien, Tamedia and Espace Media are planning to launch a new commuter newspaper this year. The name of the new newspaper has not yet been decided. However, it is planned that it will establish a clear link to the three regional newspapers Basler Zeitung, Tages-Anzeiger and Berner Zeitung. According to Tamedia spokesman Christoph Zimmer, a project group headed by Tamedia man Rolf Bollmann is working on the new paper. Zimmer emphasizes, however, that the three titles are equally represented in the project group. Representatives of the Baz editorial team and the publishing house are involved from Basel, as Baz publisher Matthias Hagemann told Werbewoche. According to him, the initiative for the new product came from Tamedia. According to Hagemann, the project has not yet been approved by the boards of directors of the three media companies.
Zimmer cannot give any specific details on the exact launch date, but the market launch should definitely take place before the end of the year. "We are working flat out on it," says Zimmer.
Tamedia is the only one of the three publishing houses involved - Espace Media is not yet officially part of the Zurich publishing house - to be in a competitive situation with its own free title; for all three houses, however, there is of course the risk of competing with their own daily newspaper with the new paper. "The competition is getting tougher with every title," Zimmer admitted.
Like Hagemann, however, he assumes that the existing daily press could even be strengthened by the new commuter newspaper: "The commuter newspaper can inspire readers for the entire newspaper network. We can also make more attractive offers to the advertising market," said the Tamedia spokesperson. There are plans to combine the new title with the existing papers. Beat Meyer, CEO of Basler Zeitung Medien, echoes this sentiment on the Basler Zeitung website: "The new newspaper is also an interesting new offer for the advertising market. The commuter newspaper will be integrated into the "Metropool" advertising network operated by the three publishers.
Zimmer explained that the content of the title should be of a high quality. The focus is on relevant news, which also corresponds to the strengths of the existing daily newspapers. "Sex and crime" reports are not planned. The layout is to be discreet and in the classic daily newspaper style, with longer texts and smaller pictures than competing newspapers such as 20 Minuten and Heute. Background information and commentary as well as information from the region will continue to be found exclusively in the paid daily newspapers.
The new commuter newspaper will be available early in the morning in newspaper boxes in the Basel, Bern and Zurich regions. "We never seriously considered any other distribution concept," explained Baz publisher Hagemann. Distribution in newspaper boxes allows you to reach the "right people": the young, mobile target group. In addition, there is more likely to be multiple use per magazine than with home delivery. "The 20 Minuten distribution system is highly efficient," added Tamedia spokesperson Zimmer.
Zimmer cannot yet say how the editorial team of the planned newspaper will be made up, whether it will be recruited from employees of the existing daily newspapers or newly hired people: "We will communicate this at the appropriate time". As Hagemann told SDA, the editorial team of 20 to 30 people will probably be based in Zurich. Whether regional editorial offices will also be set up is still open, according to Hagemann.
However, it has now been confirmed that the rumored joint online plans of Basler Zeitung Medien, Tamedia and Espace Medien do exist. "Another project group is working on this," explained Zimmer. However, it is too early for further information.
The announcement of the new commuter newspaper can be interpreted as a reaction to the free newspaper .ch initiated by Sacha Wigdorovits. This will be launched on September 19 in the conurbations of Zurich, Basel, Bern, Lucerne and St. Gallen. Wigdorovits had already announced that .ch would be positioned as a "quick-read newspaper with quality" - Tamedia, Basler Zeitung Medien and Espace Media now seem to have a similar positioning in mind for their new commuter paper. However, there is a difference in distribution; a large part of .ch's circulation will be delivered to the home.
Carole Scheidegger
Zimmer cannot give any specific details on the exact launch date, but the market launch should definitely take place before the end of the year. "We are working flat out on it," says Zimmer.
Tamedia is the only one of the three publishing houses involved - Espace Media is not yet officially part of the Zurich publishing house - to be in a competitive situation with its own free title; for all three houses, however, there is of course the risk of competing with their own daily newspaper with the new paper. "The competition is getting tougher with every title," Zimmer admitted.
Like Hagemann, however, he assumes that the existing daily press could even be strengthened by the new commuter newspaper: "The commuter newspaper can inspire readers for the entire newspaper network. We can also make more attractive offers to the advertising market," said the Tamedia spokesperson. There are plans to combine the new title with the existing papers. Beat Meyer, CEO of Basler Zeitung Medien, echoes this sentiment on the Basler Zeitung website: "The new newspaper is also an interesting new offer for the advertising market. The commuter newspaper will be integrated into the "Metropool" advertising network operated by the three publishers.
Zimmer explained that the content of the title should be of a high quality. The focus is on relevant news, which also corresponds to the strengths of the existing daily newspapers. "Sex and crime" reports are not planned. The layout is to be discreet and in the classic daily newspaper style, with longer texts and smaller pictures than competing newspapers such as 20 Minuten and Heute. Background information and commentary as well as information from the region will continue to be found exclusively in the paid daily newspapers.
The new commuter newspaper will be available early in the morning in newspaper boxes in the Basel, Bern and Zurich regions. "We never seriously considered any other distribution concept," explained Baz publisher Hagemann. Distribution in newspaper boxes allows you to reach the "right people": the young, mobile target group. In addition, there is more likely to be multiple use per magazine than with home delivery. "The 20 Minuten distribution system is highly efficient," added Tamedia spokesperson Zimmer.
Zimmer cannot yet say how the editorial team of the planned newspaper will be made up, whether it will be recruited from employees of the existing daily newspapers or newly hired people: "We will communicate this at the appropriate time". As Hagemann told SDA, the editorial team of 20 to 30 people will probably be based in Zurich. Whether regional editorial offices will also be set up is still open, according to Hagemann.
However, it has now been confirmed that the rumored joint online plans of Basler Zeitung Medien, Tamedia and Espace Medien do exist. "Another project group is working on this," explained Zimmer. However, it is too early for further information.
The announcement of the new commuter newspaper can be interpreted as a reaction to the free newspaper .ch initiated by Sacha Wigdorovits. This will be launched on September 19 in the conurbations of Zurich, Basel, Bern, Lucerne and St. Gallen. Wigdorovits had already announced that .ch would be positioned as a "quick-read newspaper with quality" - Tamedia, Basler Zeitung Medien and Espace Media now seem to have a similar positioning in mind for their new commuter paper. However, there is a difference in distribution; a large part of .ch's circulation will be delivered to the home.
Carole Scheidegger
