Somm elected to the VSM Presidium
Markus Somm, publisher and editor-in-chief of Basler Zeitung, was elected to the presidency of the Swiss Media Association on Thursday. Somm succeeds Filippo Leutenegger, who has stepped down after two years on the board.
The election of Somm will continue the Basel tradition in the presidency, said publisher president Hanspeter Lebrument at the association's general meeting in Interlaken. There were two votes against and one abstention in Somm's election.
He knows what independence means for a journalist, said Somm, referring to Christoph Blocher's involvement with the Basler Zeitung. Two things were important to him: the fight against the further advance of the SRG and skepticism about the growing influence of the state in the media.
Leutenegger said goodbye to the publishers with a tear in his eye. He had worked in the media industry for 33 years. And he had very much enjoyed working for the media. He will remain connected to the media as a Zurich city councillor. (SDA)
