Radical restructuring at Tamedia which will cut nearly 300 jobs and close printing plants – rts.ch

Tamedia assures that it will no longer be able to operate three printing plants profitably. Two of them will be closed one after the other: the printing centre in Bussigny (VD), which has existed since 1989, will probably be closed at the end of March 2025 and the printing plant in Zurich at the end of 2026. Tamedia will therefore only keep its printing plant in Bern, which will be expanded.

According to the company, the centre will have sufficient capacity to print the group’s titles and meet the demands of external customers. Bern was also chosen because of its central location in Switzerland, said Tamedia CEO Jessica Peppel-Schulz at a press conference in Zurich on Tuesday morning.

In the various editorial offices of the TX Group subsidiary, the restructuring will “probably” result in the elimination of 90 positions. Tamedia has not yet provided any further information and has not specified where, when and how these positions will be eliminated.

The group has announced that the dismantling will be subject to a consultation procedure. Social plans will be implemented, with the possibility of taking early retirement. In addition to support, Tamedia says it is offering the employees concerned financial support for development and retraining programs.

A focus on digital

The daily newspaper 24 Heures will become the flagship title of the Lake Geneva region, announced Jessica Peppel-Schulz. It is in fact “a generic title that has much more potential to grow in French-speaking Switzerland”, indicated editorial director Simon Bärtschi to Forum. Along with Tages-Anzeiger, Berner Zeitung and Basler Zeitung, the Vaudois media will be one of the “four strong brands” that will have to “achieve the digital growth” of Tamedia.

As for the digital version of its other main titles, the Tribune de Genève and the Bund, Tamedia again does not provide any additional information, but assures that they will maintain “their own digital presence”. “To date, we do not yet know whether there will be, for example, one or two editorial offices between Lausanne and Geneva,” specified Simon Bärtschi.

But for him, it is clear that there will always be a need for regional offices to cover local news, that we cannot merge everything or translate all the content of the Alemannic titles for the French-speaking press, without going any further. On the other hand, he is convinced that quality can be ensured despite these new cuts. It even remains the priority, he promises.

The paper and digital versions of the Tribune de Genève will, however, be maintained, assured the two managers, without knowing exactly in what form for the digital. All of Tamedia’s “print” brands will also continue to exist, they insisted. Le Matin Dimanche, also in the hands of Tamedia, will therefore also survive.

Tamedia also wants to reorganize itself internally in the field of advertising marketing under the name Tamedia Advertising from the beginning of 2025. The integration of the Goldbach teams and greater proximity to the brands should enable growth in advertising revenues, according to the group.

>> Take part in the discussion with “dialogue”, an offer from the SSR:

Gloomy context for the press

Tamedia has been restructuring in recent years. TX Group had already made redundancies at the end of last year. Nearly 80 jobs were cut, including around 60 in French-speaking Switzerland at its free (20 Minutes) and paid (Tamedia) titles as well as at the Sport Center agency.

The context is also difficult for the rest of the Swiss press. The Zurich group Ringier will also cut 55 positions, while CH Media announced in December that it would cut 140 full-time positions in German-speaking Switzerland. Around thirty positions have also been eliminated within the ESH Médias group (Nouvelliste, Arcinfo, La Côte).

>> Read again: The ESH Médias press group plans to cut up to 40 positions et Ringier to cut 55 jobs instead of the 75 originally planned

A “dismantling policy”

The union syndicom has harshly criticised the announced collective layoffs and the closure of the two printing centres in Lausanne and Zurich. Once again, Tamedia is focusing on maximising profits instead of assuming its social responsibility and investing in journalism, it complains.

In its press release, syndicom calls on the press group to review its business strategy, to keep the printing works and to preserve as many jobs as possible. The social plan must also be improved, the union emphasizes.

“Over the past 15 years, shareholders of the TX Group, owner of Tamedia, have pocketed more than 670 million in dividends on a profit of 2.2 billion euros while hundreds of employees were made redundant. TX Group remains very profitable, this policy of dismantling without regard for employees must end,” Stephanie Vonarburg, vice-president and head of the media sector at syndicom, was quoted in the press release.

>> Read: Tamedia layoff announcement sparks strong criticism from unions

Following Tamedia’s announcement, publishers grouped together in the Schweizer Medien (VSM) and Médias Suisses associations have called for increased indirect support for the press, which is the only way to maintain the current private journalistic offering in Switzerland, according to VSM. The publishers are thus supporting the recent proposals of the ad hoc committee of the National Council, which the National Council is due to debate in plenary in a month’s time.

ats/fgn/iar/friday