Ellen Ringier has a doctorate in law and is President of the Board of Trustees of the Elternsein Foundation, which publishes the Swiss parenting magazine Fritz+Fränzi. The editorial director of the magazine is the scientist Eveline von Arx, who previously led the Dr. Sommer team at the German youth magazine Bravo. A total of five editors work on the editorial team, four for print and one for online. The magazine has been published ten times a year since 2001 with a circulation of around 100,000 copies (WEMF-certified 103,381 copies). It is dedicated to topics such as pornography consumption, addiction and youth schizophrenia. The magazine is available at major newsstands and can be ordered free of charge by schools, for example. The first issue of the relaunched magazine with a new design and additional sections was published on September 11, and the online presence has also been revised. A mobile version of Fritz+Fränzi has also been available since the relaunch.

WW: Ellen Ringier, Fritz+Fränzi has been published since 2001. Did the new layout and content concept date back to that time?
Ellen Ringier: No, there have been various changes in between. I'm a lawyer and had no idea how to make a magazine. For example, I wasn't aware that you need a publishing director and I also waited far too long to take other professionalization measures. It wasn't until 2007, seven years ago, that we had the layout professionally developed by Beling Thoenen Design, thus creating the face of Fritz+Fränzi that we had known until then. And a year later, in September 2008, we appointed Thomas Schlickenrieder as publishing director.

What made a relaunch necessary?
The old layout was up to date and very attractive for a long time. But we thought we needed to tidy up the magazine a bit. And modernize it.

The new design is reminiscent of "wir eltern". Was that intentional?
No, not at all - that just gives me a fright. But I don't feel that way either. We no longer wanted the white space at the top, but a full-page title image instead. And of course there's only limited scope for positioning the title, it's always at the top of the page. Apart from that, of course, we also follow certain design trends. I think we have created something very unique.

The magazine also has a new name: "The Swiss parents' magazine Fritz+Fränzi". Why the unwieldy title?
Many people who didn't know the magazine thought Fritz+Fränzi was a magazine for children. That's why there was always a need for clarification. We therefore wanted to indicate in the title that it is a magazine for parents. But at the same time, we didn't want to give up the name Fritz+Fränzi, which has long since become a brand. Today, nobody would call a magazine "Der Stern" or "Der Spiegel" either, but at some point such titles simply take on a life of their own. For those who know the magazine, it will remain Fritz+Fränzi. And for the others, the focus and target group are now clearer.

What has changed in terms of content?
We want to be even more solution-oriented and have even more of the character of a guide for parents. This is reflected in the way the topics are presented, right down to the graphic elements. Our readers should get as close as possible to a solution for their problem through boxes, charts, graphics and small text summaries. We see ourselves as a service magazine that pursues the same goals as the Stiftung Elternsein: Firstly, to strengthen parenting skills in a subject area in which there is no other parenting magazine. Secondly, public awareness, i.e. informing the public that families sometimes have serious problems. We must finally stop looking the other way in our country. And thirdly, networking. Originally, the idea was that we would work together with all other non-profit organizations. We wanted to be a mouthpiece for all NGOs - but that still doesn't really work.

What is the weight of the print edition and the online edition?
The print edition is clearly a priority for us and we will continue to focus on print, because our readers demand the printed edition. But we are expanding online step by step. We are giving a lot of thought to the divergence between print and online: What do we bring to print, what online, what becomes the subject of a podcast - which topic takes place in which medium and how? Everything we do, we do with a time horizon of five years. In five years' time, we will see where we stand and whether we still need a print edition at all. I find it difficult to read on a tablet, but the next generation of young people may not know anything else.

The use of augmented reality is also new. Why did you decide to do this?
We wanted to be able to offer additional explanatory or in-depth material on important topics in the magazine, including moving images, which are always more engaging than text alone. And since we decided to focus on print, we didn't want to simply place the additional content online, but rather make it available on the smartphone alongside the magazine using augmented reality. I think every magazine will soon be doing this. We're just a bit ahead of the game. And it's not just our readers who are happy about the additional information, but also our advertising customers about the additional possibilities. They can significantly enhance their advertisements with augmented reality, tell stories, add a short advertising film, etc. The advertising and media agencies at the roadshow were delighted with the range of options.

What influence does the foundation have on the magazine? As President of the Board of Trustees of the publisher Stiftung Elternsein, are you involved in setting the topics?
No, perhaps I didn't do that enough. But of course we have already set the direction by selecting and briefing the editor-in-chief. And if I have ideas for topics, I naturally pass them on to the editorial team. But they are free to choose the final topics. That is also important to me.

How is the magazine financed? Primarily through the Elternsein Foundation, which publishes the magazine and collects donations? Most print products suffer from low advertising revenue, Fritz+Fränzi should be no different ...
Fortunately, that's not the case with us. We never thought it would turn out like this, but at least half of our funding comes from advertisements. Some advertisers have said: "We're placing ads in Fritz+Fränzi because this magazine simply has to exist. We are doing something good and reaching a considerable number of customers at the same time. And fortunately, more and more people think this way.

The magazine will have eight more pages in future and the editorial team also wants to go into more depth thematically. Have new journalists been hired for this?
No. The team is well-rehearsed and has a good network of specialist authors with whom it has also been working for a long time. Briefings are quick and uncomplicated, so the larger scope and the new thematic focus can be handled well.

Fritz+Fränzi is your baby in a way. How do you rate its development?
Yes, exactly, and this baby kept me awake at night for years because I had to somehow find advertisements and donations. But Fritz+Fränzi has long since learned to walk, has grown up, and the more people become aware that there are a lot of unresolved problems in families with children, the more people are interested in the topic and the more people want to find out about it regularly. But Fritz+Fränzi still needs godparents who are prepared to support the magazine financially.

What do you want to achieve with Fritz+Fränzi in the next two years?
I was on Facebook very early on, but then left my account dormant due to time constraints. Now I've been back on it for a week and would like Fritz+Fränzi to be active on social media too. Because I think the importance of Facebook, Twitter and the like will continue to grow. We can use social media by drawing attention to articles in the magazine and on our website, for example. The only chance that print has is to make itself indispensable. The advantage of print can no longer lie in the speed of information flow, but in its depth. And print can interact with online and social media. We absolutely must take advantage of this exciting opportunity.

Interview: Anne-Friederike Heinrich

Ellen Ringier receives PH Zurich Education Award

WW: Ellen Ringier, Fritz+Fränzi has been published since 2001. Did the new layout and content concept date back to that time?
Ellen Ringier: No, there have been various changes in between. I'm a lawyer and had no idea how to make a magazine. For example, I wasn't aware that you need a publishing director and I also waited far too long to take other professionalization measures. It wasn't until 2007, seven years ago, that we had the layout professionally developed by Beling Thoenen Design, thus creating the face of Fritz+Fränzi that we had known until then. And a year later, in September 2008, we appointed Thomas Schlickenrieder as publishing director.

What made a relaunch necessary?
The old layout was up to date and very attractive for a long time. But we thought we needed to tidy up the magazine a bit. And modernize it.

The new design is reminiscent of "wir eltern". Was that intentional?
No, not at all - that just gives me a fright. But I don't feel that way either. We no longer wanted the white space at the top, but a full-page title image instead. And of course there's only limited scope for positioning the title, it's always at the top of the page. Apart from that, of course, we also follow certain design trends. I think we have created something very unique.

The magazine also has a new name: "The Swiss parents' magazine Fritz+Fränzi". Why the unwieldy title?
Many people who didn't know the magazine thought Fritz+Fränzi was a magazine for children. That's why there was always a need for clarification. We therefore wanted to indicate in the title that it is a magazine for parents. But at the same time, we didn't want to give up the name Fritz+Fränzi, which has long since become a brand. Today, nobody would call a magazine "Der Stern" or "Der Spiegel" either, but at some point such titles simply take on a life of their own. For those who know the magazine, it will remain Fritz+Fränzi. And for the others, the focus and target group are now clearer.

What has changed in terms of content?
We want to be even more solution-oriented and have even more of the character of a guide for parents. This is reflected in the way the topics are presented, right down to the graphic elements. Our readers should get as close as possible to a solution for their problem through boxes, charts, graphics and small text summaries. We see ourselves as a service magazine that pursues the same goals as the Stiftung Elternsein: Firstly, to strengthen parenting skills in a subject area in which there is no other parenting magazine. Secondly, public awareness, i.e. informing the public that families sometimes have serious problems. We must finally stop looking the other way in our country. And thirdly, networking. Originally, the idea was that we would work together with all other non-profit organizations. We wanted to be a mouthpiece for all NGOs - but that still doesn't really work.

What is the weight of the print edition and the online edition?
The print edition is clearly a priority for us and we will continue to focus on print, because our readers demand the printed edition. But we are expanding online step by step. We are giving a lot of thought to the divergence between print and online: What do we bring to print, what online, what becomes the subject of a podcast - which topic takes place in which medium and how? Everything we do, we do with a time horizon of five years. In five years' time, we will see where we stand and whether we still need a print edition at all. I find it difficult to read on a tablet, but the next generation of young people may not know anything else.

The use of augmented reality is also new. Why did you decide to do this?
We wanted to be able to offer additional explanatory or in-depth material on important topics in the magazine, including moving images, which are always more engaging than text alone. And since we decided to focus on print, we didn't want to simply place the additional content online, but rather make it available on the smartphone alongside the magazine using augmented reality. I think every magazine will soon be doing this. We're just a bit ahead of the game. And it's not just our readers who are happy about the additional information, but also our advertising customers about the additional possibilities. They can significantly enhance their advertisements with augmented reality, tell stories, add a short advertising film, etc. The advertising and media agencies at the roadshow were delighted with the range of options.

What influence does the foundation have on the magazine? As President of the Board of Trustees of the publisher Stiftung Elternsein, are you involved in setting the topics?
No, perhaps I didn't do that enough. But of course we have already set the direction by selecting and briefing the editor-in-chief. And if I have ideas for topics, I naturally pass them on to the editorial team. But they are free to choose the final topics. That is also important to me.

How is the magazine financed? Primarily through the Elternsein Foundation, which publishes the magazine and collects donations? Most print products suffer from low advertising revenue, Fritz+Fränzi should be no different ...
Fortunately, that's not the case with us. We never thought it would turn out like this, but at least half of our funding comes from advertisements. Some advertisers have said: "We're placing ads in Fritz+Fränzi because this magazine simply has to exist. We are doing something good and reaching a considerable number of customers at the same time. And fortunately, more and more people think this way.

The magazine will have eight more pages in future and the editorial team also wants to go into more depth thematically. Have new journalists been hired for this?
No. The team is well-rehearsed and has a good network of specialist authors with whom it has also been working for a long time. Briefings are quick and uncomplicated, so the larger scope and the new thematic focus can be handled well.

Fritz+Fränzi is your baby in a way. How do you rate its development?
Yes, exactly, and this baby kept me awake at night for years because I had to somehow find advertisements and donations. But Fritz+Fränzi has long since learned to walk, has grown up, and the more people become aware that there are a lot of unresolved problems in families with children, the more people are interested in the topic and the more people want to find out about it regularly. But Fritz+Fränzi still needs godparents who are prepared to support the magazine financially.

What do you want to achieve with Fritz+Fränzi in the next two years?
I was on Facebook very early on, but then left my account dormant due to time constraints. Now I've been back on it for a week and would like Fritz+Fränzi to be active on social media too. Because I think the importance of Facebook, Twitter and the like will continue to grow. We can use social media by drawing attention to articles in the magazine and on our website, for example. The only chance that print has is to make itself indispensable. The advantage of print can no longer lie in the speed of information flow, but in its depth. And print can interact with online and social media. We absolutely must take advantage of this exciting opportunity.

Interview: Anne-Friederike Heinrich

Dr. Ellen Ringier (60) holds a doctorate in law and is President of the Board of Trustees of the Stiftung Elternsein foundation, which publishes the Swiss parenting magazine Fritz+Fränzi. The magazine is edited by Dr. Eveline von Arx, a scientist who used to lead the Dr. Sommer team at the German youth magazine Bravo. A total of five editors work on the editorial team, four for print and one for online. The old Fritz+Fränzi.