Radio Basel becomes Energy Basel
Karlheinz Kögel, the previous sole owner of the Radio Basel Group, brings Ringier and NRJ Group Paris on board as partners of the Basel-based private radio station. Radio Basel becomes Energy Basel. The new station will be launched on January 13, 2012.
On Friday, January 13, 2012, Radio Basel will become Energy Basel, Radio Basel announced on Tuesday morning. Ringier will take a 9.8 percent stake and NRJ Group Paris a 5.2 percent stake in the Radio Basel Group. The previous sole owner, Karlheinz Kögel, will retain the remaining 85 percent and serve as chairman of the board of directors. Kögel is pleased: "I have found the right partners in Ringier and the Energy Group. The success of the Energy Group in Switzerland and abroad is remarkable, and I am convinced that we can benefit from this know-how," he is quoted as saying in the press release.
After Energy Zurich and Energy Bern, Energy Basel is another radio station in German-speaking Switzerland under Brand Energy. "It's great that we are now present with Energy in the three largest cities in German-speaking Switzerland," says Dani Büchi, Managing Director of the Energy Switzerland Group.
According to the announcement, Energy Basel's programming is aimed at the young and urban target group in the greater Basel area. The focus will be on a strong editorial team with local information as well as music and entertainment. Together with the new partners, Karlheinz Kögel will again invest intensively in the next few years to make Energy Basel a successful station. The launch of Energy Basel will be accompanied by a large-scale communication campaign in and around Basel. In addition, the first Energy event is to take place in Basel in the next few weeks.
Operation already discontinued
Radio Basel has already stopped broadcasting at midnight. From Tuesday, January 10, to Thursday, January 12, 2012, Music-Non-Stop will run on 101.7 MHz. On Friday, January 13, 2012, at 5 a.m., Energy Basel will go on the air with "Energy - Mein Morgen".
The program and management of Energy Basel will be taken over ad interim by Eva Nidecker and Hans Knobloch. The 31-year-old from Basel, who started her career at Tele Basel, has been working in radio and television in front of and behind the camera for ten years. The 48-year-old Hans Knobloch has held various management positions for radio and media companies throughout Europe for almost 20 years.
According to Eva Nidecker, Energy Basel is starting with a "relatively small team" of 20 people, including seven in the editorial department and six in moderation. New employees will be hired soon. Media reports about 8 to 9 dismissals from the Radio Basel team, meanwhile, none of those responsible wanted to comment.
Imprint criticizes terminations
Meanwhile, the journalists' association Impressum and the press association of both Basel spoke of a further nine dismissals in the night to Tuesday and around 20 terminations since the end of 2011 in a statement. Imprint is investigating whether there was an unlawful mass dismissal. They also said that the duty of consultation with regard to media ethics had been violated. Imprint and the Press Association demanded the withdrawal of the dismissals and reserved the right to take legal action on behalf of those affected, the statement added. Imprint will also ask the Federal Office of Communications (Bakom) to ensure compliance with the concession provisions on working conditions and journalistic quality.
