CH Media is making a substantial investment in its printing infrastructure and developing the most modern and efficient newspaper printing plant in Switzerland at its main site in Aarau. Together with the printing plant at the St. Gallen site, a network will be created by 2027 that will set new standards in Swiss newspaper printing in terms of technology, automation and service quality.
Additional folder and replacement of the shipping line
The core of the investment is an additional high-performance folder from Koenig & Bauer and the replacement of the dispatch line with a modern, flexible solution from Ferag. These investments are complemented by further modernizations along the entire production chain. These include the optimization of printing lines, innovative robotics solutions in logistics and new, fully networked processes from prepress to distribution.
"This major investment is a performance promise to our customers: We offer maximum capacity, quality assurance and delivery reliability. In this way, we are securing production for our own titles and for third-party customers for years to come," explains Stefan Wabel, COO of CH Media and responsible for the Newspaper Printing division.
"Bieler Tagblatt" now printed by CH Media
The investment is being made against the backdrop of ongoing consolidation in the print market. Following the closure of various Swiss printing centers, CH Media is assuming additional responsibility for security of supply and predictability in national newspaper printing. Secondly, the investment supports a consistent growth strategy: CH Media has been printing the "Luzerner Zeitung" with its regional editions and the "Boten der Urschweiz" in addition to the existing publications in Aarau since the beginning of 2025. The "Bieler Tagblatt" from Gassmann Media AG will be added in 2026. This means that CH Media prints a total of 25 daily newspapers, the weekend publication "Schweiz am Wochenende", 27 free newspapers and a large number of other publications, including the "Migros-Magazin", the "Coopzeitung" and the TCS "Touring" magazine, at its printing plants in Aarau and St. Gallen.
"The newspaper printing market in Switzerland is currently undergoing fundamental change, and we want to seize this opportunity. Our vision is clear: we are the leading competence center for printed newspapers in Switzerland. With modern, efficient systems, a high level of automation and clear quality standards, we are a reliable partner for our customers. For this reason, the latest investment is of central importance to us," says Michael Wanner, CEO of CH Media.
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All three are longstanding employees of the Gassmann Media Group, as the Bieler Tagblatt announced in Friday's edition. They had taken up the new function retroactively to the first of April, Meister said in response to a question from the Keystone-SDA news agency.
Butorin and Graden had previously served as deputy editors-in-chief and took over the post ad interim following the resignation of Lino Schaeren. Meister takes over the position from Sophie Hostettler. She had left the media house in February at her own request. (SDA)
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For its 3,972 insured persons and around 70 affiliated employers, the Pension Fund Biel has developed Neofluxe a new web presence has been created. The focus is on policyholders, who can easily find and download all documents relevant to them, such as the application for early withdrawal of home ownership. A separate area has been created for the members of the board of directors and the city's finance committee, where documents can be assigned to individual meetings and invitation e-mails can be sent. These are controlled directly in the CMS.
The newly created brand "Grand Chasseral" serves as a communication tool for the Bernese Jura with the aim of increasing the attractiveness and awareness of the region. As a partner of the foundation "Fondation pour le rayonnement du Jura Bernois", Neofluxe was responsible for the conception and realization of the new Grand Chasseral website responsible. The connection between the region and the brand had to be visually appealing, and the solution had to be easy to use.
With the guiding principle "Big impact starts small", Neofluxe set about designing the campaign for the city of Biel because of the energy shortage. The result is "Saving energy: 56,355 Biel residents join in". The small yellow sticky notes form the common thread through the campaign, which is supported by Biel personalities and companies. The campaign kicked off at the end of November with a front page in the official gazette and the placement of the poster sujets in the city of Biel. Further measures - primarily digital and on social media - are to follow in the course of the winter.
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The Seeländer Blatt will also be published in the Switzerland-at-weekend-CH Media announced on Wednesday that it had joined the Ajour.ch network. In addition, the cooperation includes the national and international part of the online portal Ajour.ch. For Bernese topics, the cooperation with Tamedia or the Bernese Newspaper continued. (SDA)
]]>The current situation in Swiss professional sports No fans, no atmosphere, no emotions. Instead, empty spectator stands, empty food stands, empty box offices. Season subscribers are not allowed to attend the games, and the agreed services cannot be fully provided for the sponsors. Despite rigorous cost-cutting measures, despite salary sacrifices by staff and players, and taking into account the requested A-Fonds-Perdu contribution, EHC Biel is facing a loss of 5 million francs.
Under the title "Je suis Bienne", the agency In Flagranti Communication has launched a solidarity campaign for season subscribers, sponsors, donors and the population With personal messages in the social and regional media as well as transparent information on the landing page jesuisbienne.ch subscribers and sponsors are asked to waive refunds. A "spend-o-meter" provides daily information on the status of the campaign. Those who completely waive a reclaim will be listed on the team kit in the coming season and will be entered into a draw for exclusive prizes that are not for sale. Among the prizes are a ski day with the head of sports Martin Steinegger or a visit to a game on the players' bench.
The action of In Flagranti Communication was created in a very short time with the collaboration of the staff and players of the first team, as well as the support of publishers Bieler Tagblatt, Journal du Jura, Gassmann Media AG and the web partner Campfire.
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The Bieler Tagblatt has been an independent daily newspaper in the Biel-Seeland region since 1849 and reaches 46,000 readers daily with a circulation of 16,803 copies. The regional title fully covers daily events inside and outside the region in all areas. From Thursday to Saturday, the daily newspaper is supplemented by the regional background magazine Kontext.
With immediate effect, Goldbach Publishing will market the daily newspaper on a non-exclusive basis and the Bieler Tagblatt will also be bookable for national customers via a Metropool Andok module.
André Dummermuth, Co-Managing Director at Gassmann Media, is delighted about the collaboration: "With Goldbach, we are gaining a national partner who will raise the issue of the qualities of print advertising among decision-makers on the client and agency side and strengthen the genre. Participation in Goldbach Publishing's network helps us to achieve an even stronger market presence and ideally complements our own activities."
The sale to Bayard was not made for economic reasons, but for family reasons, as publisher Marc Gassmann emphasized to the media in Biel on Friday. A succession solution within the family had not been possible. As he is now over 70 years old, he considered it his duty to secure the future of his company.
There had been various interested parties, Gassmann explained. The Valais entrepreneur Fredy Bayard best met the requirements. Gassmann, who has been managing the Seeland-based company in the seventh generation since 1992, described the sale as a "stroke of luck," according to the press release.
Continue and further develop
Bayard emphasized that with Groupe Gassmann he was taking over a healthy company that was firmly anchored in the region and that he wanted to continue and further develop together with the Gassmann team.
Bieler Tagblatt, Journal du Jura and the other print, online and electronic media of the Gassmann Group will continue unchanged for the time being. Both parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The change of ownership will take effect on January 1, 2021.
Anchored in the Seeland for 170 years
The publishing house Gassmann with the Bieler Tagblatt has been anchored in the Biel and Seeland region since 1850. Today, the company employs around 240 people in print, print, online and electronic media, as well as in administration, marketing and sales.
Besides Bieler Tagblatt, the Journal du Jura and the magazine Terre & Nature Gassmann also owns the local radio station Canal 3, and shares half of the local TV station Telebielingue with Biel media entrepreneur Mario Cortesi.
Fredy Bayard and his wife built up the Bayard fashion group in Valais. This has expanded strongly in recent years and now operates branches in numerous Swiss cities, including Biel.
At the beginning of 2018, Bayard became the majority shareholder in the Mengis Group in Upper Valais. This includes, in addition to the Valais Messenger including the local radio station Rottu. (SDA)
The Bieler Tagblatt and the Journal du Jura are two print titles that are not part of the umbrella concept of a large media company - and we want to keep it that way. The independent titles score points with their close proximity to their readership. Integral & Leuenberger's current subscription campaign showcases this closeness with around 50 individual testimonials from readers "from among the people" who volunteered to take part.
The key question was not so much who the ambassadors are, but why they read their newspaper. The variety of answers should impress through naturalness and is free of any "marketing speak".
All ambassadors were staged in front of a plaque of their place of residence, with the place name appearing in the typography of the Tagblatt or Journal head as a result of digital processing.
Who knows the news of the region better than the local hairdresser? In the case of Biel and the surrounding area, the answer is clear: the Bieler Tagblatt, of course. As part of the successful "Fully informed" campaign, three commercials illustrate how well informed readers of the region's largest daily newspaper are. Whether it's the EHC Biel ice hockey club, the controversial "Agglolac" issue or the region's nightlife, the protagonists are amazed at the surprisingly extensive detailed knowledge of their hairdresser. The binder reveals where he got all his information: from the Bieler Tagblatt.
The three 32-second films were conceived by Weiss Communication+Design and realized by the film production company Gassmann Media. The film was directed by Simon Huber.
Responsible at Verlag W. Gassmann: Martin Bürki (Director), Regula Liniger (Head of Marketing & Services). Responsible at Weiss Communication+Design: Patrick Weiss, directed by Simon Huber. Production: Gassmann Media.
The magazine has a circulation of 38'000 copies and will reach 72'000 readers in the Biel, Seeland and Bernese Jura regions, according to the statement. The publishing magazine appears nine times a year and contains both changing key topics and recurring sections. With its special XXL format on bright white preprint paper in newsprint, the new magazine is intended to provide an attractive vessel for readers and advertisers.
A magazine is like an open window with a view of inspiring topics such as food, education, travel, fashion and sports. The Extra makers want to surprise their audience with pictures and texts about the beautiful sides of life. In this way, they also want to achieve a high affinity with the younger readership. Integrated into the new magazine are the previous, mono-thematic newspaper supplements Energy, Building & Living, Economy & Business Cycle, and the seasonal topics.
The layout was created by Inédit Publications SA in Lausanne, a company specializing in magazine journalism. It emphasizes an appealing presentation, generous images and a clear structuring of the content. The current issue includes, among others, the focus on spring with the topics "Urban Gardening is more than a buzzword", "Aquariums are a world in miniature", "Hiking is fun even without GPS". The well-known Biel chef Philippe Berthoud presents his personal hamburger recipe in his permanent extra section. Berthoud also takes up menu suggestions and cooking problems from readers.
Reto Bertschi, a technology specialist from the canton of Zeeland, writes about smartwatches in his blog. In the "Fashion + Style" section, the young Biel fashion label Ramò is presented. On the "Nature + Environment" page, experts reveal how to get help with a home renovation. An overview of the open-air season in Seeland and a natural history walk through Neuchâtel round off the first issue. Extra can also be read free of charge on the websites of the two daily newspapers.
Ultimately, it is the prize configured by the readers and users themselves that will be raffled off among all game participants, according to a statement. Until that time comes, the game participants discover numerous product options of the basic price over the course of four game weeks and actively deal with the prize.
For the first edition of "Vote&Win - Your win configurator", the partner Amag Biel/Bienne is providing a VW Up! as a basic prize. In the first week of voting from October 8 to 12, readers and users will choose the color of the VW in a first step. The majority decision determines with which color the car goes into the next rounds of the game, where in turn new equipment options are to be discovered and configured. In addition, each week accessory prizes of the new VW Up! will be raffled among all weekly participants. A total of four election weeks will be held, each with three new selection options, the release continues.
"Vote & Win - Your Win Configurator" is a further development of existing survey tools. The implementation and further development of the poll idea was done internally by Redmouse, an IT company belonging to the Gassmann Group. The game is advertised by means of advertisements in the Bieler Tagblatt and the Journal du Jura as well as with classic online advertising media on the respective internet platforms. The game platform is fully integrated into the existing Internet presence and also includes social media components, which further publicize the game among the game participants' circles of friends.
]]>On Bielertagblatt.ch, a new community portal, many possibilities for interactivity, an innovative advertising solution and other features are available to the user around the clock. With a fully automated news import by the news agency SDA, national events are covered. In addition, the link with social media has been expanded.
The core of the relaunch, in addition to the modern design and the greatly improved technology, is the community portal. Here, readers can find the latest news from their residential and neighboring communities, statistical information about the municipality and other articles about things to know and see from a total of 86 localities.
Whereas only short snippets of text could be read on the previous website, all elements of the daily newspaper are now accessible. However, the regional content, news and dossiers will only be fully available to subscribers from January 1, 2012. The e-paper and archive are also affected by the payment requirement. Subscription Classic (daily newspaper; online and mobile), an online-only subscription, and daily access from 1 to 30 days will be offered. National news and short news items continue to be freely accessible. Elements such as the Seelandjass, the EHC dossier and the reader photo competition have been retained.
Another focus is on the newly presented classified markets (real estate, vehicle, jobs) as well as the private market and selected company portraits. New advertising options are also available to companies, and the online advertising tools have been expanded. A new tool allows advertisements to be placed quickly and easily.
The new portal was built by Goldbach Interactive in Biel together with Gassmann subsidiary Redmouse using the open source solution Drupal. The relaunches of the Canal 3 and Tele Bielingue homepages will follow in 2012, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.