"The circulation losses have stopped".
Newspapers The relaunch of the Tages-Anzeiger on March 30 is just one stage, reveals publishing director Maili Wolf. The continuation will follow next year.
Newspapers The relaunch of the Tages-Anzeiger on March 30 is just one stage, reveals publishing director Maili Wolf. The continuation will follow next year.WW Compared with other daily newspapers, the Tages-Anzeiger is taking a remarkably cautious approach to its new concept. The Aargauer Zeitung, for example, which publishes all its regional sections in tabloid format, and the Basler Zeitung, which has at least transformed its culture section into a successful format, are much more daring. Why does the Tages-Anzeiger refrain from such clear and immediately visible signs?Maili Wolf We will review the overall formal concept of the Tages-Anzeiger again in 2005. This is because we will then be getting new printing presses, which will expand our possibilities. At the moment we are still somewhat handicapped in terms of printing technology, for example, continuous four-color printing is not possible. For this reason, we are saving further visual adjustments for next year. We can't keep making changes to the newspaper, as this would only annoy our readers.
So it is also conceivable that other tabloid elements will find their way into the Tages-Anzeiger from 2005 in addition to the Züritipp?
That may well be the case. I can't say anything about that at the moment. But our principle is still: we sell content and content. Whether that happens in broadsheet or tabloid is secondary.
Instead of the big spring clean, the Tages-Anzeiger is focusing on
a stronger focus of its content on the presumed actual needs of the readership. To what extent has this process already been implemented?
Over the past year, the editorial team has had long discussions about which stories belong in the paper and which priorities should be set. After many years of trying to become a national title, the Tages-Anzeiger is now clearly committed to its home city of Zurich. This sharpened content focus is already being implemented. And we are receiving positive reactions from the reader market. The years-long decline in circulation has now been halted, both at the newsstand and among subscribers. Until last November, the trend was still downwards. Since then until the end of January, however, we have now gained around 1000 fixed subscriptions. This also shows me that we are on the right track in terms of content.
The advertising market is obviously still causing more headaches at the moment. Here, too, the daily newspapers urgently need new ideas. As an immediate measure, we have switched to a much more active market approach. We are currently on the road with a roadshow where we are informing customers about our new special advertising formats, new placement options and new sections. We are also on the lookout for meaningful cross-media opportunities, for example with television and radio. A new addition to our range is the combination of brochure inserts in the Tages-Anzeiger with a radio spot. Anyone placing inserts in the Tages-Anzeiger can communicate this in advance on the radio. This helps to ensure that such inserts do not simply fall out and end up with the waste paper.
Are there any plans to extend such cross-media ideas to the commuter newspaper?
20 minutes?
First of all, Tamedia only owns 49 percent of 20 Minuten. But in the future we will certainly discuss which collaborations make sense. I am an advocate of collaborations if they can lead to win-win situations.
However, any additional strengthening of 20 Minuten also entails the risk of further cannibalization of the Tages-Anzeiger. Tamedia will therefore have to pay close attention to the directions in which it
20 Minuten wants to further strengthen its position.
Part of the circulation losses suffered by the Tages-Anzeiger in previous years certainly has to do with 20 Minuten. After all, it is mainly young readers who do not feel at home with the daily newspapers. Alongside some readers from all age groups who are satisfied with the light fare. However, this grit now seems to have been dispersed. At least that's one way of interpreting the halt in the decline in circulation at the Tages-Anzeiger.
The Tages-Anzeiger is also trying to gain more ground in the advertising market with competitive prices.
win: The rates for brochure inserts have been reduced by 20 percent. Is this a step towards taking market share away from the booming direct marketing sector?
With this price cut, we are now halfway to the people again. Some customers are considering giving the Tages-Anzeiger a try again. Although they still pay a little more for this than for direct mailings, in return they benefit from the newspaper's credibility and attractive readership profile. We have noticed that customers are already coming back to us for brochure inserts. We have also spared no effort to make the offer more attractive. For example, we have reorganized the delivery routes so that brochure inserts can be offered on a region-specific basis. Customers can choose between a city split, a northern region split and a southern region split.
However, the advertising market is still lacking the long-awaited upturn. Daily newspapers in particular are still struggling with declining advertising income. When do you expect to see a turnaround?
First of all, there has to be a general upturn. Only this much is certain: if there is an upturn, then the daily newspapers will certainly benefit from it. However, we must not forget that the daily newspaper genre is considered very expensive in the advertising market. The Tages-Anzeiger has the lowest price per thousand readers among the daily newspapers in the greater Zurich area. But its toughest competition is and remains the Sonntagspresse, which is almost thirty percent cheaper with the same performance values.
The Tages-Anzeiger has also been struggling with the Swisspool for years. What measures could the combination of Swiss
Are daily newspapers becoming more attractive again?
Compared to the original objectives of Swisspool, market expectations have changed considerably. And the diversity of media has also grown massively. However, Swisspool has merely merged titles and increased prices. The really creative steps that would have been necessary have not been taken. This is now to be made up for. The current discussions are examining whether further modules should be included. Do we want to limit ourselves to certain regions? Should new titles be integrated or are withdrawals imminent? I cannot yet communicate the results of such considerations. But the fact is that the advertising market not only wants more flexibility from Swisspool, but also more attractive pricing.
Creativity with advertisementsThe Tages-Anzeiger is enticing its advertisers with a range of new placement options. For example, advertisements can now also be placed on the front pages of the Bund (exception: front page).
Unusual formats also create additional opportunities for eye-catching presentations.
For example, advertisements can now be printed vertically on both sides of the page. And if you've had enough of the eternal square format specifications, you can now opt for a multi-corner advertisement. In the shape of a heart, for example.
The prices for brochure inserts have been significantly reduced and are now 20 percent cheaper. Additional increase in attractiveness for inserts: they can now be combined with a radio spot. (dse)
More space for businessThe Tages-Anzeiger's new newspaper architecture is economical with changes. The "Domestic" section moves in front of the "Foreign" section. The "Background" page is moving to the end of the first section, supplemented by an additional "Analysis" page. In the "Zurich" bundle, the current division into "City of Zurich", "Region" and "Winterthur" disappears. The "Blue Bund" is now supplemented by the "Bellevue" page. With "Daily tips", "Eva" comic and a column by Simone Meier. For better reader guidance, the most important short news items are highlighted in color.
Economy" receives one and a half additional pages for SME
Stories and short news items. The "Weather" page is also more beautiful and richer. The weather development over the course of the day is now shown in the form of a rainbow.
The Tages-Anzeiger graphic remains largely unchanged. One of the few exceptions: The double lines at the top of the pages and in the text boxes are disappearing. (dse)
Cautious interventions in terms of content and appearance - and yet clearly recognizable changes: This is what the Tages-Anzeiger will look like after its renovation on March 30.
Interview: Daniel Schifferle
So it is also conceivable that other tabloid elements will find their way into the Tages-Anzeiger from 2005 in addition to the Züritipp?
That may well be the case. I can't say anything about that at the moment. But our principle is still: we sell content and content. Whether that happens in broadsheet or tabloid is secondary.
Instead of the big spring clean, the Tages-Anzeiger is focusing on
a stronger focus of its content on the presumed actual needs of the readership. To what extent has this process already been implemented?
Over the past year, the editorial team has had long discussions about which stories belong in the paper and which priorities should be set. After many years of trying to become a national title, the Tages-Anzeiger is now clearly committed to its home city of Zurich. This sharpened content focus is already being implemented. And we are receiving positive reactions from the reader market. The years-long decline in circulation has now been halted, both at the newsstand and among subscribers. Until last November, the trend was still downwards. Since then until the end of January, however, we have now gained around 1000 fixed subscriptions. This also shows me that we are on the right track in terms of content.
The advertising market is obviously still causing more headaches at the moment. Here, too, the daily newspapers urgently need new ideas. As an immediate measure, we have switched to a much more active market approach. We are currently on the road with a roadshow where we are informing customers about our new special advertising formats, new placement options and new sections. We are also on the lookout for meaningful cross-media opportunities, for example with television and radio. A new addition to our range is the combination of brochure inserts in the Tages-Anzeiger with a radio spot. Anyone placing inserts in the Tages-Anzeiger can communicate this in advance on the radio. This helps to ensure that such inserts do not simply fall out and end up with the waste paper.
Are there any plans to extend such cross-media ideas to the commuter newspaper?
20 minutes?
First of all, Tamedia only owns 49 percent of 20 Minuten. But in the future we will certainly discuss which collaborations make sense. I am an advocate of collaborations if they can lead to win-win situations.
However, any additional strengthening of 20 Minuten also entails the risk of further cannibalization of the Tages-Anzeiger. Tamedia will therefore have to pay close attention to the directions in which it
20 Minuten wants to further strengthen its position.
Part of the circulation losses suffered by the Tages-Anzeiger in previous years certainly has to do with 20 Minuten. After all, it is mainly young readers who do not feel at home with the daily newspapers. Alongside some readers from all age groups who are satisfied with the light fare. However, this grit now seems to have been dispersed. At least that's one way of interpreting the halt in the decline in circulation at the Tages-Anzeiger.
The Tages-Anzeiger is also trying to gain more ground in the advertising market with competitive prices.
win: The rates for brochure inserts have been reduced by 20 percent. Is this a step towards taking market share away from the booming direct marketing sector?
With this price cut, we are now halfway to the people again. Some customers are considering giving the Tages-Anzeiger a try again. Although they still pay a little more for this than for direct mailings, in return they benefit from the newspaper's credibility and attractive readership profile. We have noticed that customers are already coming back to us for brochure inserts. We have also spared no effort to make the offer more attractive. For example, we have reorganized the delivery routes so that brochure inserts can be offered on a region-specific basis. Customers can choose between a city split, a northern region split and a southern region split.
However, the advertising market is still lacking the long-awaited upturn. Daily newspapers in particular are still struggling with declining advertising income. When do you expect to see a turnaround?
First of all, there has to be a general upturn. Only this much is certain: if there is an upturn, then the daily newspapers will certainly benefit from it. However, we must not forget that the daily newspaper genre is considered very expensive in the advertising market. The Tages-Anzeiger has the lowest price per thousand readers among the daily newspapers in the greater Zurich area. But its toughest competition is and remains the Sonntagspresse, which is almost thirty percent cheaper with the same performance values.
The Tages-Anzeiger has also been struggling with the Swisspool for years. What measures could the combination of Swiss
Are daily newspapers becoming more attractive again?
Compared to the original objectives of Swisspool, market expectations have changed considerably. And the diversity of media has also grown massively. However, Swisspool has merely merged titles and increased prices. The really creative steps that would have been necessary have not been taken. This is now to be made up for. The current discussions are examining whether further modules should be included. Do we want to limit ourselves to certain regions? Should new titles be integrated or are withdrawals imminent? I cannot yet communicate the results of such considerations. But the fact is that the advertising market not only wants more flexibility from Swisspool, but also more attractive pricing.
Creativity with advertisementsThe Tages-Anzeiger is enticing its advertisers with a range of new placement options. For example, advertisements can now also be placed on the front pages of the Bund (exception: front page).
Unusual formats also create additional opportunities for eye-catching presentations.
For example, advertisements can now be printed vertically on both sides of the page. And if you've had enough of the eternal square format specifications, you can now opt for a multi-corner advertisement. In the shape of a heart, for example.
The prices for brochure inserts have been significantly reduced and are now 20 percent cheaper. Additional increase in attractiveness for inserts: they can now be combined with a radio spot. (dse)
More space for businessThe Tages-Anzeiger's new newspaper architecture is economical with changes. The "Domestic" section moves in front of the "Foreign" section. The "Background" page is moving to the end of the first section, supplemented by an additional "Analysis" page. In the "Zurich" bundle, the current division into "City of Zurich", "Region" and "Winterthur" disappears. The "Blue Bund" is now supplemented by the "Bellevue" page. With "Daily tips", "Eva" comic and a column by Simone Meier. For better reader guidance, the most important short news items are highlighted in color.
Economy" receives one and a half additional pages for SME
Stories and short news items. The "Weather" page is also more beautiful and richer. The weather development over the course of the day is now shown in the form of a rainbow.
The Tages-Anzeiger graphic remains largely unchanged. One of the few exceptions: The double lines at the top of the pages and in the text boxes are disappearing. (dse)
Cautious interventions in terms of content and appearance - and yet clearly recognizable changes: This is what the Tages-Anzeiger will look like after its renovation on March 30.
Interview: Daniel Schifferle
