Job carousel with ejector seats

In the editorial offices of the Swiss press, the upholstered armchairs turned into ejector seats in rows and cost-cutting measures set the job carousel spinning: at the Basler Zeitung, Ivo Bachmann is to implement the cuts that the graying Hans-Peter Platz could no longer be expected to make. At the Tages-Anzeiger, Peter Hartmeier took the place of Philipp Löpfe at the end of 2002. However, Tamedia's ongoing cost-cutting efforts secured him a prominent place in this year's press drama. When Markus Gisler and Peter Buri replaced Hans Fahrländer at the Aargauer Zeitung in February, it still seemed as if publisher Peter Wanner wanted to strengthen the title. Since cost-cutting programs have also been imposed on AZ, observers see Gisler's chair shaking again. Markus Eisenhut has already been fired because Tamedia wanted to be represented at 20 Minuten by Marco Boselli. Winter makes everything new in the business press: René Lüchinger replaces Medard Meier at Bilanz and Martin Spieler takes over from Kurt Speck at Finanz & Wirtschaft. The succession of Martin Hofer at SonntagsBlick and Christa Löpfe at Annabelle has only been settled ad interim. So the merry-go-round is likely to continue in the coming year. (sm)