You get the fear for free
Daily newspapers Before the launch of Le Matin Bleu, uncertainty is spreading in the editorial offices of French-speaking Switzerland.
Project more!" The verdict of a veteran Edipresse editor is
hard: The launch of the free newspaper Le Matin Bleu by Edipresse
is a purely entrepreneurial response to the risk that others will take a
could launch a free newspaper. Instead of strengthening their own titles and
to keep the reader interested through journalistic quality,
he is given the false message that information is free.
"The launch of a free newspaper by the publisher is a
Declaration of war on the editorial offices," another colleague summarizes the
mood together. In the countries affected by the free competition
Newspapers are bracing themselves for redundancies.
Savings options under discussion
At the two Edipresse regional newspapers 24 Heures and Tribune de
Genève, various savings options are being discussed, including the
Merger of the first bundle of the two newspapers. Decisions are
but none have been made yet. Rumor has it that
at 24 Heures, 20 jobs are at risk. Philippe Dumartheray, the
deputy editor-in-chief of 24 Heures, however, only confirms that
cost-cutting measures were unavoidable and redundancies were not
could be ruled out: "There are absolutely no figures available yet.
before." Antoine Exchaquet, Deputy Publisher at the Tribune de
Genève, announces a reduction in the number of pages, but reassures: "It
are not exclusively editorial pages, and the
The measure is limited in time until the end of the year." Exchaquet also
does not rule out redundancies at a later date: "In the
At the moment, however, we need to be strong and solid." They are planning a
"Revolution of the local section", which in Geneva is both micro-local and
must be international.
The unrest has also affected newspapers other than those directly affected in
Lausanne and Geneva. Now the pressure of advertising on the
content will increase even more, our colleagues complain. The editorial team of the
Fribourg's La Liberté even feared that publisher Albert Noth was allowing himself
into the battle of the free sheets and is tempted to
to launch their own. Albert Noth denies this
Press reports: "It's a misunderstanding." He had heard from
a local free newspaper that could be launched,
if another publisher launches a free newspaper in Fribourg.
would. There was never any talk of a commuter newspaper: "We know
but our limits!"
Some editorial teams are already starting to think about counter-strategies.
discuss. Pierre Meyer, business editor at the Tribune de
Genève, outlines an optimistic scenario: "It is possible that a
new medium with short texts, without commentary and with lots of
Services give new impetus to traditional paid newspapers
there," he writes in the association's organ journalistes.ch. Meyer hopes for
a possible coexistence between free and paid newspapers, if
The latter should focus on their own strengths and not try to do so,
to ape the free newspapers. However, this is only possible "if a
Part of the advertising revenue of the future orange-blue pair Le Matin and
Le Matin Bleu shot into the other Edipresse newspapers
becomes". The money could be used to improve the quality of paid newspapers.
and a salutary differentiation between entertaining and
serious journalism.
Théo Bouchat, in the publishing management of Edipresse for "orange-bleu"
does not wish to comment on the proposal. With Antoine Exchaquet
Meyer's ears are more receptive: "Why should it be possible within the same
publishing house not communicating vessels?" he says, but adds
adds: "At the moment, it's still a bold idea." The "double brand"
Matin/Matin Bleu is something new for Switzerland, and the free newspaper
must first show whether it is successful.
Publisher as soap salesman
Meanwhile, an open letter is circulating in French-speaking Switzerland with the title:
"Information at risk!". A group of journalists from a total of
eleven editorial offices drafted the text. "The press fulfills its
duty to inform and their task of critically analyzing events.
less and less, focusing instead on entertainment",
says the letter. And: "Information is no longer the goal,
Seduction and PR strategies replace it or even try to use it to
to merge."
Christian Campiche, business editor at La Liberté, is coordinating the
Action. He does not see the letter purely as a reaction to the
Commuter papers. The free newspapers increased the pressure on the
paid sheets, but they are not the only problem. "The
The problem is that publishers have forgotten what their job is.
Instead of providing independent and credible information
guarantee, they sell newspapers like they would sell soap."
Now the authors of the letter want to exert pressure: "The publishers must
to return to their profession," demands Campiche. One idea is
in the air: the convening of a conference at which the profession
situation and discuss measures.
Helen Brügger
