Savings measures or higher subscription prices?

It was therefore necessary to continue making savings in the future: "I believe this will continue," said Supino. At the same time, he was confident because "we have never been so well off overall." Tamedia's often criticized return target of 15 percent is correct, but not a dogma, said Supino. After all, 5 percent is needed for depreciation and amortization, leaving 7 to 8 percent of the remaining 10 percent after taxes. "And around two thirds of this is used for investments."

Subscriptions instead of cost-cutting measures

The Swiss Managing Director of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), Tobias Trevisan, said that his company also had to make savings. However, Trevisan warned against touching the USP: quality, relevance and credibility. Trevisan: "I am amazed at the ease with which many media companies decide to make savings. And overlook the potential for additional income from subscriptions." The FAZ will continue to raise prices. "We have just created an extreme scenario at the FAZ: Can you create a newspaper without advertising revenue?" said Trevisan. "The result: you would have to increase sales revenue (subscriptions only) by 40 percent." This would not be done immediately, but the pricing strategy was "aggressive". The FAZ has already increased subscription revenues by 35 percent in the last six years.

Subscription prices cannot be increased forever

AZ publisher Peter Wanner also sees "upward potential", especially if subscribers can be offered a complete print/online package. Pure digital subscriptions should be considerably cheaper, "about half the price", according to Wanner. Tamedia publisher Pietro Supino was skeptical about price increases at the Swiss Media Forum: "I'm not sure whether you can simply raise prices all the time. That works in the short term, but is hardly the last word in wisdom in the long term. There is a connection between price and demand." Newspapers are mass products and must remain so. Supino: "I am convinced that advertising revenues will continue to account for the largest share of income in our company." Supino also assured Tages-Anzeiger that the paywall would "definitely be coming".

FAZ boss Trevisan is also working on introducing the paywall: "In consultation with other publishers. But we would also do it on our own - not because we expect to make big money from it, but because it's the right strategy." He has moved away from the "metered paywall" model - "it's moving in the direction of hybrid". Peter Wanner said of the paywall: "It will also come to us, but we shouldn't expect miracles from it. We can't compare ourselves with the New York Times. The regional newspapers should move towards freemium."

Wanner: fascinated by Voigt's project

AZ publisher Wanner also commented on Hansi Voigt's online project: "It's a pending investment, that's true," he confirmed on the podium. Hansi Voigt's project fascinates him. Voigt is the right person, and he is also convinced of the approach "that the project should be developed on a greenfield site and not in a corporation where controllers are everywhere." The project is national and enables his company, which is primarily regionally based, to position itself nationally online. Wanner: "We are in close talks with an investor. It looks very good. We will decide in the summer whether the green light has been given." (OTS)