Ringier: Unger on Blick and Cash
In an interview with Bilanz, Ringier CEO Christian Unger spoke about the future prospects of the Blick family of publications and Cash. Blick is set to undergo a repositioning in terms of both content and format; Unger is satisfied with SoBli and Blick am Abend. Regarding Cash, he hinted that sooner or later, only the online version of Cash will survive.
In an extensive interview in Bilanz, Ringier CEO Christian Unger commented on the future prospects of Blick and Cash as well as further job cuts at Ringier. Cash is in a complex situation: it has increasing readership figures and is gaining market share, but has been thrown down to a lower level by the collapsing advertising market. According to Unger, the question now is how Ringier can move forward with Cash.
Cash: sooner or later only online
With regard to the annual deficit of 10 million Swiss francs, Unger said that Cash was an economic loss-maker and that he did not want to gloss over anything. He also hinted that sooner or later only the online edition would survive. The Cash brand should therefore be strengthened in the electronic sector. He hopes that the transformation process (from print to online) can be accelerated. "So that we don't have to let both print and online die."
Blick: Probably away from tabloid format
Blick is working "at full speed" on a repositioning in terms of both form and content. The format is of course an issue, Unger continued, and he described the switch to tabloid format as a "flop". In two to four weeks, those responsible should therefore deliver concrete plans. A change to the larger format would provide a differentiating feature from free newspapers.
Blick: Repositioning for the 50th birthday in October?
In terms of content, Unger said that the focus had "perhaps been too ideological" in the past. However, this had since been corrected. He did not want to comment on the related insult of Swiss bankers as "vain fools of Switzerland". When asked about the timing of the relaunch of Blick, whether this could perhaps be to coincide with its 50th anniversary in October, Unger said: "It could be, a repositioning to coincide with the anniversary would be obvious."
Satisfactory situation at Sonntagsblick and Blick am Abend
With regard to Sonntagsblick, Unger said that the paper is putting in a solid performance and that he is very satisfied. Blick am Abend is also in a good growth phase and the team has developed good momentum. With regard to further job cuts at Ringier in Switzerland, Unger said that he could not yet say. But of course that is one of the options.
Cash: sooner or later only online
With regard to the annual deficit of 10 million Swiss francs, Unger said that Cash was an economic loss-maker and that he did not want to gloss over anything. He also hinted that sooner or later only the online edition would survive. The Cash brand should therefore be strengthened in the electronic sector. He hopes that the transformation process (from print to online) can be accelerated. "So that we don't have to let both print and online die."
Blick: Probably away from tabloid format
Blick is working "at full speed" on a repositioning in terms of both form and content. The format is of course an issue, Unger continued, and he described the switch to tabloid format as a "flop". In two to four weeks, those responsible should therefore deliver concrete plans. A change to the larger format would provide a differentiating feature from free newspapers.
Blick: Repositioning for the 50th birthday in October?
In terms of content, Unger said that the focus had "perhaps been too ideological" in the past. However, this had since been corrected. He did not want to comment on the related insult of Swiss bankers as "vain fools of Switzerland". When asked about the timing of the relaunch of Blick, whether this could perhaps be to coincide with its 50th anniversary in October, Unger said: "It could be, a repositioning to coincide with the anniversary would be obvious."
Satisfactory situation at Sonntagsblick and Blick am Abend
With regard to Sonntagsblick, Unger said that the paper is putting in a solid performance and that he is very satisfied. Blick am Abend is also in a good growth phase and the team has developed good momentum. With regard to further job cuts at Ringier in Switzerland, Unger said that he could not yet say. But of course that is one of the options.
