Savings exercise with expansion target

Private TV stations Tele M1 and TeleTell are cutting programs in order to expand their news. At the beginning of 2004, the regional stations TeleTell and Tele M1 are changing their programming. From Monday to Friday, the news programs "Aktuell" are to be expanded editorially during prime time and repeated every half hour - if the Uvek approves. Some programs in the second half-hour will be cancelled in any case. Specifically, the contracts with CashTV and Videogang have been terminated, as Florenz Schaffner, head of the two broadcasters, explained on request. The self-produced "Report" will also be dropped, unless a sponsor can be found for it. The "Stubete" produced by TeleBärn will also be canceled. The programs "Tierisch", "Lifestyle", "Kochen" and "Wohnen", on the other hand, will remain on both channels. TeleTell is also keeping "Regio-Talk", while a new concept and a sponsor are being sought for the talk show on Tele M1. one thing is clear: the "Aktuell" expansion is also proving to be a cost-cutting exercise. Cancelling the aforementioned programs will free up a "seven-figure sum", half of which - albeit still a seven-figure sum - will be invested in news, according to Schaffner: TeleTell's newsroom will be expanded from 6.5 to 9 positions (from Monday to Friday). At the same time, there will be redundancies in the technical area at the Aarau studio. Freelance staff will also be cut.
Two years ago, the two broadcasters already cut programs and invested some of the savings in news. Since then, the daily ratings of "Aktuell" have risen by 100 percent to 100,000 people. Based on a survey, the two stations see even more potential.
Florence Schaffner
Markus Knöpfli