Consequences of the Tamedia-Espace merger for individual newspapers still unclear
It was announced on Thursday that the Competition Commission has no objections to the takeover of Espace Media by the Zurich publishing house Tamedia. However, the effects on the individual newspapers are still unclear. For the time being, it remains unclear whether the Tages-Anzeiger and Berner Zeitung will seek a joint editorial office.
It was announced on Thursday that the Competition Commission has no objections to the takeover of Espace Media by the Zurich publishing house Tamedia. However, the effects on the individual newspapers are still unclear. Tamedia is keeping a low profile regarding the consequences of the merger. "At the moment, the focus is on the legal merger of the two publishing houses," said Group spokesperson Christoph Zimmer at the request of SDA. Before a decision can be made on the effects of the merger on the publishing houses' services, the structure of the company must first be clearly defined.
"We don't have a big master plan in our pocket as to what the company should look like down to the last detail," Zimmer explained to Werbewoche. The first step is to clarify what the merged media company should look like in its main features. Only then will it be decided where service areas such as corporate communications or human resources should be integrated and what development opportunities exist for the individual media.
It also remains to be seen whether the Tages-Anzeiger and Berner Zeitung will seek a joint editorial office. A reduction of jobs in the editorial offices is possible, Zimmer said. However, the launch of a new commuter newspaper and an online news network by Tamedia, Espace Media Groupe and Basler Zeitung Medien shows the synergy potential of the merger of the two publishing houses.
Tamedia intends to implement the legal merger by the end of the year. However, according to Zimmer, a process of one to two years is expected before the two companies have grown together operationally. "It would be wrong to turn everything upside down at the same time," Zimmer continued. However, the implementation of the merger is a very high priority for the Zurich media company.
In addition, the editorial teams of the Berner Zeitung, the Tages-Anzeiger and the Basler Zeitung are currently working flat out on preparations for the new commuter newspaper, which is to be published in boxes in the cities of Basel, Bern and Zurich before the end of this year (see
).
"We don't have a big master plan in our pocket as to what the company should look like down to the last detail," Zimmer explained to Werbewoche. The first step is to clarify what the merged media company should look like in its main features. Only then will it be decided where service areas such as corporate communications or human resources should be integrated and what development opportunities exist for the individual media.
It also remains to be seen whether the Tages-Anzeiger and Berner Zeitung will seek a joint editorial office. A reduction of jobs in the editorial offices is possible, Zimmer said. However, the launch of a new commuter newspaper and an online news network by Tamedia, Espace Media Groupe and Basler Zeitung Medien shows the synergy potential of the merger of the two publishing houses.
Tamedia intends to implement the legal merger by the end of the year. However, according to Zimmer, a process of one to two years is expected before the two companies have grown together operationally. "It would be wrong to turn everything upside down at the same time," Zimmer continued. However, the implementation of the merger is a very high priority for the Zurich media company.
In addition, the editorial teams of the Berner Zeitung, the Tages-Anzeiger and the Basler Zeitung are currently working flat out on preparations for the new commuter newspaper, which is to be published in boxes in the cities of Basel, Bern and Zurich before the end of this year (see
).
