The regions at the center

Press Schaffhauser Nachrichten wants to get closer to local events. The relaunch of the paper is accompanied by numerous innovations. On average, every five years
the regional newspaper Schaffhauser Nachrichten (SN) has undergone a revision.
of the layout. This time the changes go much further, because even
The content concept is new: the aim is to make the magazine even more
regionalize and give local and regional events a broader
Give weight. More region, more overview and more color, is the
new credo. For regional newspapers, which are also complete newspapers
newspapers such as SN, sooner or later the question arises as to whether
later, the question of where to deploy the resources.

Although the course of business at SN is developing positively, the
The company does not expect earnings to grow significantly there. Until the
A number of new regional editorial teams will therefore be set up in the fall.
are formed. These are corresponding sub-regions in the catchment area
of the SN relatively autonomously. The catchment area, which comprises 52
municipalities and also extends beyond the canton of Schaffhausen into the
Zurich Weinland and extends into the canton of Thurgau, will be
The new media microcosms have been created for this purpose. "We are the
conviction that we need to tell people clearly where the reports are coming from.
come," says CEO Norbert Neininger. In addition to the journalists
journalists who cover the regions on the ground, two journalists
Reporters for the cross-regional stories. Even more consistent
According to Neininger, the company, which has been operating
service editorial system with newsdesk. The
Readers will recognize the new regions one-to-one as the new
regional pages such as "Klettgau" or "Weinland" daily in the
sheet. This gives it a clearer structure.

More color as a formal element ultimately serves to improve the
Placement of the color advertisements, for which SN has previously
rotary printing. "We are now starting the expansion and
give us a few months until the fall. We're not doing this on
a bang, that doesn't work in journalism anyway," says
Neininger. You first have to find your way around the new places -
actually strange, since everything happens on a small scale.
but it's about the contact with the municipal authorities and the
decision-makers and a local presence.

More political and cultural debates
Regionalization does not take place at the expense of supra-regional
departments. "We are doing a balancing act here, which is complicated on the one hand,
but is also beautiful," says Neininger. SN sees itself as a
Complete newspaper. SN readers should not read any other newspapers besides the
need another newspaper, according to the basic idea. "The fact that we need our
The fact that we were able to keep our competitors at a low level also has something to do with this,
says Neininger. In the domestic, foreign and economic departments, the
SN a relatively brief overview. However, due to the current situation
special themed pages at the front, which, according to Neininger, will allow the
need not shy away from comparison with the big leaves.

On compact pages that summarize the newspaper content for quick readers
as in the case of the newly designed Landbote or the
NZZ, which is known for its lifted edition. "A regional newspaper is
not so large that it could be subdivided into an SN-light again.
would have to be," says Neininger. With clear reader guidance and a good first
page instead tries to convey the most important points to the readership.
bring. Furthermore, the political and cultural debate in the paper will be a
greater weight, following the American example of the
"opinion-ads". The opinion pages are therefore being expanded so that
The newspaper begins each Saturday with a double page of opinion.
Furthermore, the background topics are to be cultivated more intensively, for which
which SN has already won journalism awards. A specialty
These are the so-called community pages, whereby the editorial team is responsible for all 52
communities are confronted with a specific question, the answers then
evaluated and commented on. This promotes the identity of the residents in the
diverse catchment area, which also extends across the Rhine to southern Germany.
radiates.

Selling advertising impact
SN would also like to expand interactivity by the fall. To this end
includes a weblog on the one hand and a so-called
Balzlist with discussion forums organized by topic. In
The principle is still little known in Switzerland, but widely used in the USA.
distributed. The headings can be scaled down to the size of the municipality.
set.

SN also wants to break new ground in the area of advertising. "The
Advertising customers do not want to place commercials or advertisements, they want to
Advertising impact," says Norbert Neininger. So you sell advertising impact.
SN is currently working on two campaigns, whereby together with the
customers what advertising impact is and how it can be achieved.
can be measured. In future, the media company will offer advertising customers
can fulfill practically all wishes: Advertisements in the newspaper, commercials
on Radio Munot and Schaffhausen Television, interactive offers in the
Internet through to targeted advertising mailings with your own
Distribution organization.

This is the realization of a longer strategic idea that all media
united under one roof. "But we can only make such offers,
because we are in a homogeneous space where we are undisturbed
and can play the full range of advertising options",
says Neininger. Editorial independence is sacred,
he emphasizes. Particularly when it comes to impact campaigns, you have to be tough and clear.
be. "In my dual role as editor-in-chief and publisher, I am here
particularly careful." From May, the SN will have a new layout
appear.   

René Worni