Zurich regional newspapers in a revamped outfit
The Zurich regional newspapers appeared for the first time on Tuesday in a new layout with an airier typeface and six-column layout throughout. The most drastic change is at the Winterthurer Landbote: Instead of four, there are now only two frets.
While the Zürcher Oberländer, Zürcher Unterländer and Zürichseezeitung already distributed their content over two bundles, the Landbote had four. This has now been adjusted. Bund one is all about Winterthur and the region. It also contains the Panorama and service pages such as events, TV and radio programs, obituaries and weather. The second Bund opens the view beyond the Winterthur region: Canton Zurich, home and abroad, culture, stock exchange, a detailed sports section and finally "the last" with mixed news. There is no longer a separate business page - the corresponding coverage is integrated into the domestic and foreign pages.
In January, Tamedia had purchased the Landbote, making it the owner of the entire association of Zurich regional newspapers (ZRZ). A restructuring brought, among other things, closer cooperation among the group newspapers and with the Berner Zeitung in the domestic and foreign sections.
Six terminations, two early retirements
Tamedia spokesman Christoph Zimmer had stated in January that the restructuring would entail job shifts and a reduction of around 25 full-time positions at all ZRZ editorial offices. As he now told news agency sda on Tuesday, it is now expected that "in the end, six layoffs and two early retirements" will have to be announced. Shortly after the acquisition of the Landbote, Zimmer said, the company had not yet been informed in detail about the job situation. It had become apparent that there were already a few vacancies. Since then, some employees have left the group, while others have moved internally - to the Berner Zeitung or the Tages-Anzeiger, for example.
There is a social plan for those made redundant, although this has drawn criticism from the trade union. In addition, possibilities for further employment within the publishing house are being examined and there is a hardship fund. In some cases, notice periods have been extended, Zimmer said. Therefore, he said, the changes are still underway and a final assessment is not yet possible. (SDA)
