Tamedia examines sale of radio and TV stations
As part of the merger, the media companies Edipresse Schweiz and Tamedia are adapting their corporate organization from 1 May 2011 and will focus on their core business in future - newspapers, magazines and online media. A sale of the radio and TV activities as well as the specialist media Mobil with Automobil Revue and Revue Automobile is being examined.
In view of the limited synergy potential and the uncertainty of being granted a license after the expiry of the current broadcasting licenses, Tamedia could imagine selling the four stations Radio 24, Capital FM, Tele Bärn and Tele Züri. As a consequence, Edipresse Schweiz's stake in La Télé is no longer of strategic importance. Talks with potential buyers are to begin in the next few weeks. The review should be completed by the end of the year.
Over the next few years, Tamedia also intends to grow by investing in its online platforms and further investments in online companies. As early as 2012, 25 percent of earnings are to be generated with digital offerings. The new company's IT operations will be gradually standardized and will be managed entirely in-house from 2013, when the contract with Swisscom IT Services expires.
Edipresse becomes a division
Edipresse Switzerland will continue to operate as a separate division under the management of Serge Reymond. The 47-year-old mathematician and economist has been Managing Director of Edipresse Switzerland since 2009 and was previously Managing Director of Naville S.A. and the Swatch Group. He will also become a member of the Management Board of Tamedia.
With the creation of the new Digital division, the online marketplaces and online services will be managed by Christoph Tonini, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board. Tonini is also responsible for the Media Switzerland division. Ueli Eckstein will remain responsible for the Espace Media division and Rolf Bollmann for the Media Zurich division.
All prepress and printing activities will be combined in the Publishing Services division. Andreas Schaffner will remain in charge of the Publishing Services division. Under the leadership of Sandro Macciacchini, the Finance division combines all of the company's financial, real estate and IT services. With the Chairman of the Management Board, Martin Kall, the Management Board of Tamedia now comprises seven members.
Overview: To the Tamedia organization chart
Edipresse Managing Director new to the Board of Directors
Karl Dietrich Seikel, a member of the Tamedia Board of Directors since 1996, will not be standing for re-election. The former managing director of the Spiegel publishing house wants to become more involved in the German publishing environment in future. Tibère Adler, Managing Director of Groupe Edipresse since 2005, will be proposed for re-election to the Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting on May 6, 2011. The lawyer, who was born in Geneva in 1963 and trained in management at the IMD in Lausanne, has worked for Groupe Edipresse since 1993. With his election to the Tamedia Board of Directors, Tibère Adler will relinquish all operational responsibilities at Edipresse Switzerland.
Segment reporting broken down by market
At the same time as the publication of the half-year results on August 31, 2011, Tamedia is introducing segment reporting broken down by market. The Print regional business division comprises all regional newspapers and advertisers. The Print national business division comprises all newspapers and magazines with a national focus. All areas previously reported in the Publishing Services business division will be integrated into the Print regional business division.
| Business areas | Media (selection) |
| Print regional | 24 heures, BZ Berner Zeitung, Der Bund, Tages-Anzeiger, Tribune de Genève, Zürcher Unterländer, Zürichsee-Zeitung, Anzeiger, reader market services, newspaper printing centers |
| Print national | 20 Minuten, 20 Minuten Friday, 20 minutes, Annabelle, Automobil Revue, Das Magazin, Femina, Finanz und Wirtschaft, L'essentiel, Le Matin, Le Matin Dimanche, Schweizer Bauer Schweizer Familie, SonntagsZeitung, Télé top matin |
| Digital | 20 Minuten Online, car4you.ch, homegate.ch, jobup.ch, lessentiel.lu, Newsnetz, search.ch, radio and TV activities |
Merger as early as 2011
As the companies announced last week, the Merger as early as 2011 - The merger will create the fourth-largest media company after SRG, Publigroupe and Ringier, with sales of around CHF 1,170 million and a result of CHF 152 million at EBIT level (both based on 2010). The company employs a total of 3,398 people (full-time equivalents as at December 31, 2010). Its main locations are Berne, Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich.
More on the subject:
Tamedia with profit jump in 2010
(Teaser image: Keystone)
