Peter Knechtli settles succession for Onlinereports
The Basel-based news portal Onlinereports, which has existed for 25 years, is passing into new hands. The 73-year-old founder, sole owner and journalist Peter Knechtli is selling the independent portal to journalists Alessandra Paone and Jan Amsler as of July 1.
With this step, the future of the privately operated medium is secured, Knechtli announced on Friday. He had decided to pass his company on to younger forces. The terms of the sale were not disclosed.
The new editorial management is committed to remaining true to political journalism and contributing to media diversity in the region, the statement said. The DNA of Online-Reports as an "independent, critical and fair voice" should also be preserved in the long term.
According to its own information, the news portal is financed by advertising and voluntary public donations to the Rechechier Fund. Online reports has been in the black without exception for the past 25 years, according to Knechtli.
Pioneer in Swiss online journalism
The portal, which regularly makes news in the Basel region with exclusive reports, is considered a pioneer of online journalism in Switzerland. It began commercial operation at the end of October 1998 after a one-year laboratory trial.
Alessandra Paone has been working as a domestic editor at Tamedia newspapers for almost two years. Jan Amsler started as an intern at Online reports. He currently heads the politics team on the local desk of the Basel Newspaper.
According to Knechtli, he will assist his successors in an advisory capacity during the transition phase and will "continue to appear in a journalistic capacity" when the opportunity arises, according to the statement. (SDA)
