Tamedia disrupts NZZ plans
Print: Ziegler Druck's involvement is doing little to boost the *Tages-Anzeiger*, but is intended to prevent it from weakening.
Print The acquisition of Ziegler Druck will hardly help the Tages-Anzeiger, but should prevent it from weakening The Tages-Anzeiger has a problem: in the canton of Zurich, it has a household coverage of just 25 percent. It is clear that it is trying to solve this shortcoming with additional splits - or by tying existing newspapers closely to itself. However, the entry of the Landbote with a mere 20 percent can by no means be seen as a close connection. In addition, although it solves a technical printing problem of Tamedia magazines, it does not solve the Tagi's lack of depth of focus. Only the reach of the Stellenanzeiger will receive a slight boost. In return, the Tagi will refrain from launching a split in the Winterthur area. In short: Tamedia's triumph in Winterthur appears to be little more than a kick in the teeth from the Tagi's point of view. Especially as a subsequent increase in the Landbote stake will only be of any use if the transfer restriction provisions, which limit the voting rights of each shareholder to a maximum of 20 percent, are lifted. On closer inspection, however, the Tamedia move is of greater benefit to Tagi. With the new deal, Tamedia's strategists are thwarting two NZZ plans at once, which could weaken Tagi further in the short or long term.
On the one hand, there is the plan to combine the four Zurich rural newspapers Zürisee-Zeitung (ZSZ), Zürcher Unterländer (ZU) and Zürcher Oberländer (ZO) as well as the Landbote to form a kind of "Züriland-Zeitung", either by swapping articles or by means of a headline system. The Neue Luzerner Zeitung, the St. Galler Tagblatt and the Südostschweiz are also in the process of setting up a new newspaper pool as an alternative to the Metropool (WW 41/04). The newspapers of the Züriland-Kombi (ZSZ, ZO and ZU) and possibly also the Kombi 1 (Landbote, Thurgauer Zeitung, Schaffhauser Nachrichten) are being discussed for coverage in the Zurich area.
Sensible solutions are neededAre the two projects now at risk? Beat Lauber, Head of Regional Newspapers at NZZ: "There is no doubt that these options are now more difficult. But it would be premature to conclude that an exchange of articles would no longer be possible." It is also not yet certain how the Tamedia stake will affect Landbote marketing. "We now have to take a close look at this and analyze it," says Lauber. The NZZ is interested in strengthening established structures on the one hand and creating market-oriented offers that are as customer-oriented as possible on the other.
A friend-foe scheme is of no use to anyone. "We publishers have to learn to look at problems from a market perspective rather than from a publishing strategy perspective anyway," says Lauber. And: "We continue to hope for sensible solutions. But if Tamedia and Landbote don't want to cooperate, then that would really be a new component."
A blessing for the Tagi: Tamedia joins Landbote.
On the one hand, there is the plan to combine the four Zurich rural newspapers Zürisee-Zeitung (ZSZ), Zürcher Unterländer (ZU) and Zürcher Oberländer (ZO) as well as the Landbote to form a kind of "Züriland-Zeitung", either by swapping articles or by means of a headline system. The Neue Luzerner Zeitung, the St. Galler Tagblatt and the Südostschweiz are also in the process of setting up a new newspaper pool as an alternative to the Metropool (WW 41/04). The newspapers of the Züriland-Kombi (ZSZ, ZO and ZU) and possibly also the Kombi 1 (Landbote, Thurgauer Zeitung, Schaffhauser Nachrichten) are being discussed for coverage in the Zurich area.
Sensible solutions are neededAre the two projects now at risk? Beat Lauber, Head of Regional Newspapers at NZZ: "There is no doubt that these options are now more difficult. But it would be premature to conclude that an exchange of articles would no longer be possible." It is also not yet certain how the Tamedia stake will affect Landbote marketing. "We now have to take a close look at this and analyze it," says Lauber. The NZZ is interested in strengthening established structures on the one hand and creating market-oriented offers that are as customer-oriented as possible on the other.
A friend-foe scheme is of no use to anyone. "We publishers have to learn to look at problems from a market perspective rather than from a publishing strategy perspective anyway," says Lauber. And: "We continue to hope for sensible solutions. But if Tamedia and Landbote don't want to cooperate, then that would really be a new component."
A blessing for the Tagi: Tamedia joins Landbote.
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