See you again soon in Germany
Television: The TV Production Center Zurich is closing its German branch but plans to remain active.
Television The TV Production Center Zurich is giving up its German branch, but intends to remain active. tpc International joined forces with the German company Salzbrenner Stagetec Mediagroup a year ago. The goals in the world's second largest market for TV productions, just behind the USA, were ambitious. "We wanted to be one of the five most renowned companies for reportage truck productions by 2006," says tpc CEO Roger Sidler. Now the dream has been shattered and the collaboration between the two companies has come to an end, but Sidler is satisfied with what has been achieved: "Our reputation is already very good. And we've beaten a lot of companies. We were also largely working to capacity in terms of orders. But in Germany, the prices for TV productions are at rock bottom." The background: due to the Kirch insolvency, the number of production orders collapsed, which led to extreme overcapacity in the industry. As a result, tpc International, which owns two OB vans, generated a total turnover in the single-digit millions in 2003, but also a total loss of 800,000 euros.
Non-EU country has a hard time Sidler's conclusion: "A self-supporting German subsidiary with a complete infrastructure is not feasible in the foreseeable future." The decision was therefore made to give up the German location. To this end, the wholly-owned SRG subsidiary is transferring its shares in the joint venture to Salzbrenner as of March 31, while retaining the tpc International brand.
The latter will now effectively become the foreign division of tpc, which intends to carry out all kinds of transmissions from Zurich in both Germany and Austria in future. In order to have at least one German address, tpc International would like to open a sales office in Germany soon. However, it is questionable whether tpc International will continue to receive as many orders as before. "As a company from a non-EU country, we will have a harder time," says Sidler. For this reason, productions abroad will in future be realized with production equipment from Zurich, but mainly with local personnel.
According to Sidler, there is no connection between the withdrawal of tpc from Germany and the decision of Sat 1 (Switzerland) to have the Axpo Super League produced by the German Plazamedia instead of tpc from February 29 (WW 6/04). As part of an overall production offer for Sat 1, Plazamedia was also able to offer the broadcasts for Sat 1 (Switzerland) at a lower price than tpc. This is also confirmed by Sat 1 (Switzerland). Incidentally, Sidler adds, tpc also works for Plazamedia from time to time by broadcasting individual Bundesliga matches. "So it's possible that we'll have to step in for Plazamedia for one of the next Axpo Super League games ..."
Will Schellenberg remain Chairman of the Board of Directors of tpc? Former SF DRS Director Peter Schellenberg will remain Chairman of the Board of Directors of tpc at least until the General Assembly in April - but perhaps for a year longer. That depends not least on whether the new SF DRS director Ingrid Deltenre wants to take on this additional post or not. In 2001, the tpc achieved a turnover of 144.7 million Swiss francs and in 2002, 133 million Swiss francs. In 2003, however, it will be 5 to 6 percent more again, said Roger Sidler. (mk)
No Weko investigation against tpcThe Competition Commission (Weko) rejects a complaint by film production companies accusing SRG and its subsidiary tpc of unlawful restrictions of competition in the area of commissioned films. This emerges from an SRG communiqué, the content of which is confirmed by Weko spokesperson Patrick Drucrey. According to the press release, the Competition Commission notes that tpc is the only provider of commissioned films in German-speaking Switzerland that meets the high standards of availability and quality. However, it sees this as a "natural monopoly" rather than an abuse of a dominant market position. SRG did not give its subsidiary any gifts when it transferred the infrastructure. Moreover, tpc pays SRG rental prices in line with the market and offers its services to SRG not only at normal market rates, but also at the same rates as to other clients. The Competition Commission therefore decided not to conduct an investigation. (mk)
The reportage vans of the TV production company tcp International are now stationary in Germany.
Roger Sidler, CEO of the TV Production Center Zurich (tpc).
Markus Knöpfli
Non-EU country has a hard time Sidler's conclusion: "A self-supporting German subsidiary with a complete infrastructure is not feasible in the foreseeable future." The decision was therefore made to give up the German location. To this end, the wholly-owned SRG subsidiary is transferring its shares in the joint venture to Salzbrenner as of March 31, while retaining the tpc International brand.
The latter will now effectively become the foreign division of tpc, which intends to carry out all kinds of transmissions from Zurich in both Germany and Austria in future. In order to have at least one German address, tpc International would like to open a sales office in Germany soon. However, it is questionable whether tpc International will continue to receive as many orders as before. "As a company from a non-EU country, we will have a harder time," says Sidler. For this reason, productions abroad will in future be realized with production equipment from Zurich, but mainly with local personnel.
According to Sidler, there is no connection between the withdrawal of tpc from Germany and the decision of Sat 1 (Switzerland) to have the Axpo Super League produced by the German Plazamedia instead of tpc from February 29 (WW 6/04). As part of an overall production offer for Sat 1, Plazamedia was also able to offer the broadcasts for Sat 1 (Switzerland) at a lower price than tpc. This is also confirmed by Sat 1 (Switzerland). Incidentally, Sidler adds, tpc also works for Plazamedia from time to time by broadcasting individual Bundesliga matches. "So it's possible that we'll have to step in for Plazamedia for one of the next Axpo Super League games ..."
Will Schellenberg remain Chairman of the Board of Directors of tpc? Former SF DRS Director Peter Schellenberg will remain Chairman of the Board of Directors of tpc at least until the General Assembly in April - but perhaps for a year longer. That depends not least on whether the new SF DRS director Ingrid Deltenre wants to take on this additional post or not. In 2001, the tpc achieved a turnover of 144.7 million Swiss francs and in 2002, 133 million Swiss francs. In 2003, however, it will be 5 to 6 percent more again, said Roger Sidler. (mk)
No Weko investigation against tpcThe Competition Commission (Weko) rejects a complaint by film production companies accusing SRG and its subsidiary tpc of unlawful restrictions of competition in the area of commissioned films. This emerges from an SRG communiqué, the content of which is confirmed by Weko spokesperson Patrick Drucrey. According to the press release, the Competition Commission notes that tpc is the only provider of commissioned films in German-speaking Switzerland that meets the high standards of availability and quality. However, it sees this as a "natural monopoly" rather than an abuse of a dominant market position. SRG did not give its subsidiary any gifts when it transferred the infrastructure. Moreover, tpc pays SRG rental prices in line with the market and offers its services to SRG not only at normal market rates, but also at the same rates as to other clients. The Competition Commission therefore decided not to conduct an investigation. (mk)
The reportage vans of the TV production company tcp International are now stationary in Germany.
Roger Sidler, CEO of the TV Production Center Zurich (tpc).
Markus Knöpfli
