Switzerland’s largest media group strengthens dominant position
Some 40% of Switzerland’s German-speaking daily press circulation is published by Tamedia, according to media trade union syndicom.
Keystone
Switzerland’s largest media group, Zurich-based Tamedia, has struck a deal with one of the country’s most controversial politicians, Christoph Blocher.
In exchange for passing some of its free local gazettes over to Blocher’s company, Tamedia will acquire the prestigious German-speaking newspaper Basler ZeitungExternal link (BaZ), previously co-owned by the Swiss People’s Party politician.
“The integration of the Basler Zeitung into Tamedia’s network will enable a strong regional editorial team”, the Zurich publishing group announced on Wednesday.
Media trade union syndicomExternal link said that Tamedia’s take-over of the long-established BaZ would allow the company to “expand its dominant position in the Swiss media even further”. Even without this addition, it said, 40% of Switzerland’s German-speaking daily press circulation is published by Tamedia; in French-speaking Switzerland this share is even higher, at 69%.
Despite having lost some 20% of its readers since 2013, the BaZ currently still has a daily circulation rate of 46,353, according to the latest figures from the media advertising institute WemfExternal link.
In return for the sale of the newspaper, Blocher’s company Zeitungshaus AGExternal link will incorporate several of Tamedia’s free local newspapers, the most important of which is Zurich’s official local gazette TagblattExternal link, currently distributed free of charge to most of the city’s households.
Zeitungshaus AG, which Blocher co-founded, said that the company had with the aim of “promoting media diversity” in Switzerland, and that the transaction would serve this purpose.
The media union Syndico also criticised the deal, saying that it would allow the “billionaire Christoph Blocher to expand his free news empire”. It suspects that he will take advantage the various regional gazettes for “propaganda purposes for his campaigns”.
More
More
Swiss Politics
Drastic changes shake Swiss media landscape
This content was published on
Tamedia, Switzerland’s biggest private media company, says its 14 different newspapers will soon be produced by two editorial offices.
Swiss political parties report income of CHF22.4 million for 2024
This content was published on
Ten parties reported income totalling CHF22.4 million for 2024, less than in the 2023 election year. The reports are based on the regulations for transparency in political financing.
FIFA loses multi-million lawsuit against Blatter and Kattner
This content was published on
Former FIFA officials Joseph Blatter and Markus Kattner do not have to pay back their own bonuses or the bonus totalling CHF 23 million paid to another FIFA official to FIFA. This was decided by the Zurich Labour Court.
How cancer cells makes healthy cells work for them
This content was published on
Cancer cells manipulate neighbouring cells for their own purposes: a research team at ETH Zurich has discovered that they can reprogram neighbouring cells in such a way that they help the tumour to grow.
This content was published on
The ban on non-residents entering the swimming pool in Porrentruy, canton Jura, expires on Sunday and would be extended until the end of the season, the mayor said.
Natural disasters: most Swiss back forced resettlement
This content was published on
The authorities should be allowed to order forced relocations if there is a medium-term risk of a natural event, according to 58% of participants in a survey.
US ends duty-free for parcels from all over the world
This content was published on
Postal service providers in numerous countries such as Switzerland have announced that they will no longer accept most parcels destined for the US.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Blocher steps down as People’s Party strategist
This content was published on
This comes as part of an internal party reorganization in the run-up to 2019 parliamentary elections. The People’s Party is Switzerland’s largest parliamentary party. Billionaire Blocher, 77, is not, however, retiring from politics. He is now expected to concentrate on combatting the government’s plans for closer ties with the European Union in Brussels. Blocher has…
How has one of the richest families in Switzerland made its fortune?
This content was published on
From biscuits to pharmaceuticals – here’s how conservative right politician Christoph Blocher and his family made their millions.
‘We were the only ones who cared about Swiss self-determination’
This content was published on
Christoph Blocher speaks to swissinfo.ch about the 1992 vote on EEA membership, his millions, and politics a quarter of a century later.
Government minister calls for media quality and diversity
This content was published on
In a wide-ranging interviewExternal link on Monday with the Watson news platform and several regional newspapers, Leuthard said a dominant role for a single player in the media sector was not desirable. “It must be the goal to secure diversity and quality in the media for democratic reasons,” she said. Leuthard also expressed concern about…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.