Baz circulation in free fall
The Basler Zeitung has lost 12 percent of its circulation in one year, but remains the top subscription newspaper in northwestern Switzerland. However, the new Tageswoche has risen to become the new number two.
The certified circulation figures of the AG für Werbemedienforschung Wemf bring it to light: The circulation of the "Basler Zeitung" has fallen again by more than 9,000 copies within a year, from 77,619 to a new 68,279 copies (-12 percent). This is dramatic, because never before in the last ten years has the once proud newspaper, which in 2002 still had 103,649 copies, lost so much at once. What is important here is that, unlike the readership figures for Mach Basic 2012-2, the Wemf circulation figures are not mixed with the new BaZ Sunday edition (Werbewoche.ch reported). This was stated by Roger Berger, spokesman for Basler Zeitung Medien, when asked. The development at BaZ is thus reflected unvarnished in the circulation figures. With one caveat: Berger's statement could not yet be confirmed by Wemf yesterday.
Almost 20000 copies lost in three years
Speaking of circulation development: This looks even bleaker if you look back over the last three years: In this period alone, BaZ circulation has fallen by around 20,000 copies. In other words, since the Hagemann family sold the newspaper to Tito Tettamanti, Martin Wagner and Christoph Blocher, the paper has lost a good fifth of its circulation.
Based on the Wemf figures, it is clear that the Bat has lost subscribers: Just under 8,000 paying subscribers dropped out last year alone, bringing the total number of subscription cancellations since Blocher & Co. took office to 18,000. There were further declines in free subscriptions and newsstand sales: Wagner cut back on free subscriptions (primarily for former employees) at the time. Today, this number is still at 1,000 copies, two-thirds less than in 2009, before the Baz sale. Demand at the newsstand also declined: Today, BaZ sells 2,400 copies there, compared to 1316 copies more in 2009. The only thing that has increased is the number of trial subscriptions: from 549 then to 1,895 today.
And the winner is: TagesWoche!
Of course, the question arises as to where all these renegade Baz readers migrated to. This can be said quite clearly: to the new TagesWoche. The weekly paper with a daily online edition, which was launched last fall thanks to start-up financing from Roche heiress Beatrice Oeri, has 18,605 paying subscribers, about the same number as BaZ has lost since the turmoil surrounding Blocher & Co. In other words, the 18,000 or so people who signed up on the "Save Basel" platform two years ago have put their money where their mouth is: they have not only turned their backs on BaZ, but also subscribed to the new paper. It is also worth noting that TagesWoche sold an additional 3,020 copies at newsstands. Together with a small promo share of 955 copies, this gives it a paid circulation of 22,580 copies.
BZ: High investments, mixed success
Peter Wanner's AZ Medien, on the other hand, has been less successful: Although the Basellandschaftliche Zeitung (BZ) and the bz Basel split launched just under a year ago now have a combined paid circulation of 22463 copies, 13.3 percent more than a year ago. But Wanner is unlikely to be very pleased with this figure: firstly, because it is 120 copies lower than that of the newcomer TagesWoche, and secondly, because the increase is primarily due to the 2,714 promotional copies with which the bz Basel was and is being pushed in the city of Basel. In terms of paid subscriptions, on the other hand, the BZ was only able to increase by 3.5 percent or 600 copies to 17,831 subscriptions. A slight increase in demand is also visible at the newsstands: Last year, the BZ sold 30 copies more per day there than in the previous year (a total of 343 newsstand copies). Nevertheless, after years of slight losses, a trend reversal is now becoming visible in the bz subscriptions and at the newsstand thanks to some investments in the editorial department. It remains to be seen how long it will last.
BZ Sonntag was even weaker: although its circulation also increased slightly (+6.5 percent) to 21,002 copies, this was primarily due to the fact that its trial subscriptions almost doubled to 3073 copies. Paid subscriptions, on the other hand, have actually declined by a good 200 subscribers to 16,486. Only at the newsstand is it slightly more in demand; today it sold 433 copies, compared to 410 a year ago.
Markus Knöpfli
An overview of the 2012 editions in Northwestern Switzerland:
Title paid circulation thereof subscriptions
Basler Newspaper 68279 62707
Daily week 22580 18605
BZ + BZ Basel 22463 17831
BZ Sunday 21002 16486
