"Trying instead of studying"
Welt editor Jan-Eric Peters on its small-format but large-scale sister paper.
Welt publisher Jan-Eric Peters on its small-format but large-scale sister paper.WW The listed Springer publishing house is hoping that testing a new, national quality newspaper will give it a more innovative image. What do you expect from the small world? Jan-Eric Peters We are not interested in abstract reputation, but in the concrete market opportunities of a small-format German intelligentsia paper. Contrary to public perception, England is by no means leading the way here. In Scandinavia, corresponding experiments have long since turned into successful products.
Like Ringier, you also conduct live market research instead of the usual pre-tests. Why do you do this?
We have good experience with the "the proof of the pudding is in the eating" approach. Our Polish tabloid Fakt, for example, should have flopped mercilessly according to all the experts - and then developed into the country's biggest newspaper in no time at all.
The test market for "Welt Kompakt" is the greater Düsseldorf area ...
... because it is a representative metropolitan area for the world, so we can extrapolate the test result quite well after eight weeks.
What role did commuter flows play in this choice?
A very subordinate one. Welt Kompakt" will not be a commuter paper filled with agency reports, but the first full-length newspaper with a profound news and opinion section that can be read comfortably on the go.
At 50 cents, the tabloid is only half the price and is likely to cannibalize the parent paper. If you are alluding to British trends: In contrast to the Independent and Times, we are also bringing new content with the new format. While the strength of the Welt lies in reflection and a lot of background, the Welt Kompakt will be news-oriented
and use the late editorial deadline of midnight to ensure that we are as up-to-date as possible. In this way, we want to reach completely new readers.
Shortly after the launch of "Welt Kompakt" on May 24, your new editor-in-chief Roger Köppel, who has a proven track record of changing formats, takes up his post. Is that a coincidence?
Yes, we will also discuss this topic, but Roger is coming to deal with the world. I've put together an independent team of ten for Welt Kompakt.
Interview:
"Vollzeitung":Jan-Eric PetersOliver Classen
Like Ringier, you also conduct live market research instead of the usual pre-tests. Why do you do this?
We have good experience with the "the proof of the pudding is in the eating" approach. Our Polish tabloid Fakt, for example, should have flopped mercilessly according to all the experts - and then developed into the country's biggest newspaper in no time at all.
The test market for "Welt Kompakt" is the greater Düsseldorf area ...
... because it is a representative metropolitan area for the world, so we can extrapolate the test result quite well after eight weeks.
What role did commuter flows play in this choice?
A very subordinate one. Welt Kompakt" will not be a commuter paper filled with agency reports, but the first full-length newspaper with a profound news and opinion section that can be read comfortably on the go.
At 50 cents, the tabloid is only half the price and is likely to cannibalize the parent paper. If you are alluding to British trends: In contrast to the Independent and Times, we are also bringing new content with the new format. While the strength of the Welt lies in reflection and a lot of background, the Welt Kompakt will be news-oriented
and use the late editorial deadline of midnight to ensure that we are as up-to-date as possible. In this way, we want to reach completely new readers.
Shortly after the launch of "Welt Kompakt" on May 24, your new editor-in-chief Roger Köppel, who has a proven track record of changing formats, takes up his post. Is that a coincidence?
Yes, we will also discuss this topic, but Roger is coming to deal with the world. I've put together an independent team of ten for Welt Kompakt.
Interview:
"Vollzeitung":Jan-Eric PetersOliver Classen
