The march to the country
Newspapers: The Tages-Anzeiger is cutting 15 percent of its budget, focusing on its general news sections, and hoping to find buyers for them in Zurich, a city of millions.
Newspapers The Tages-Anzeiger is cutting 15 percent of its budget, relying on its core departments and hoping to find customers in the millions in Zurich: At any rate, this is the conclusion that can be drawn from the diet officially imposed on the Tages-Anzeiger a week ago. Its editorial program is to strengthen (in terms of content, not personnel) the domestic, foreign, business, sports, culture and special topics sections - with the latter two being cut particularly painfully by 25 percent. According to the press release, this commitment to the overall competence is intended to create "the basis for cooperation opportunities with other Swiss-German publishing houses". However, the lavishly endowed Blauer Bund, which is being developed in the direction of the Zurich split, is almost spared from the red pencil. No wonder, since the second journalistic focus of the new concept is urban and regional reporting. The only question is how long even a slimmed-down Tages-Anzeiger will manage this balancing act between (inter)national and local aspirations, and how quickly paying customers will be found for what is perhaps the best, but certainly the most expensive newspaper. "We now have plenty of time and patience," says Tagi boss Peter Hartmeier. "Unless the economy goes completely crazy, we shouldn't have to go over the books again for the next three years." As a reminder: the editorial budget (including support) was slashed from just under CHF 49 million to CHF 42 million for 2004, which means, among other things, the loss of 1,400 full-time jobs.
Consequently, there is great uncertainty among the journalists at Werdstrasse. It has now been announced which colleagues will have to leave. However, it is unclear whether and how the paper, which until now has been "a hair's breadth to the left of the center" (former editor-in-chief Peter Studer), will be made compatible in terms of content after its formal adjustment to the prevailing headline system. In any case, it is hard to imagine that the voice from downtown Switzerland would be politically viable, let alone capable of winning a majority, in the rather conservative Zurich area. Fears that the job cuts could therefore be made not only in line with the new journalistic but also political guidelines have so far proved unfounded.
Oliver Classen
Consequently, there is great uncertainty among the journalists at Werdstrasse. It has now been announced which colleagues will have to leave. However, it is unclear whether and how the paper, which until now has been "a hair's breadth to the left of the center" (former editor-in-chief Peter Studer), will be made compatible in terms of content after its formal adjustment to the prevailing headline system. In any case, it is hard to imagine that the voice from downtown Switzerland would be politically viable, let alone capable of winning a majority, in the rather conservative Zurich area. Fears that the job cuts could therefore be made not only in line with the new journalistic but also political guidelines have so far proved unfounded.
Oliver Classen
