20 Minuten repositions itself with a focus on the digital market

Zurich, 17 June 2025 – Following the significant expansion of its leading position in the digital user market over the past two years and the establishment of a complete in-house commercial department as of January 1, 2025, 20 Minuten is taking another important step toward a commercial sustainable future. Due to rapidly changing media usage and declining revenues in the print business, the company plans to discontinue its daily print edition throughout Switzerland at the end of 2025. 20 Minuten is currently exploring the continued use of its unique box distribution network with a possible print innovation featuring a new publication frequency tailored to the modern media usage habits of commuters.

In order to further strengthen its leading position in the user market in the digital business and to capture the potential in the demanding digital advertising market, substantial funds will be invested in the further development of the product, the brands of the 20 Minuten Group, and in innovative commercial offerings and environments. These innovations will be communicated and introduced on an ongoing basis starting in the fourth quarter of 2025. In addition, significant investments will be made in artificial intelligence applications and in the further development of value creation.

As part of the realignment, 20 Minuten is reorganizing its structure: the editorial teams currently operating separately in German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland will be merged into a national editorial team based in Lausanne, Bern, and Zurich. The regional offices in Basel, Geneva, Lucerne, and St. Gallen are scheduled to be closed by the end of 2025. Regional news will remain a central component of reporting and will be covered by an agile network of correspondents. The overall editorial management of 20 Minuten and 20 minutes will be taken over on 1 September 2025 by editor-in-chief Désirée Pomper, who is currently responsible for journalism in German-speaking Switzerland. Philippe Favre, editor-in-chief of 20 minutes since its founding in 2006, will become Director of Romandie. In this role, he will be responsible for managing the Lausanne office, business activities in western Switzerland, and operational cooperation with the joint venture L’essentiel in Luxembourg. In addition, Romandie will be represented in the national editorial board in the future.
The planned discontinuation of the daily print edition and organizational adjustments are expected to result in the loss of up to 80 full-time positions in the editorial and publishing departments, subject to the results of the consultation process. The employees affected will be supported by a social plan.

The daily newspaper 20 minuti in Ticino, published by the joint venture 20 minuti Ticino SA, is also to be discontinued at the end of 2025. The activities in Ticino will focus on the news portal Tio/20 minuti. The foreign subsidiary L’essentiel in Luxembourg will continue its print and online offerings as until now.

Bernhard Brechbühl, CEO of the 20 Minuten Group: “We are starting the digital future from the pole position and are completely realigning our offerings and our organization with this in mind. At the same time, we deeply regret the job cuts associated with the reorganization. We will closely support our employees during these changes.”

Désirée Pomper, editor-in-chief of 20 Minuten, adds: “The new national editorial team will enable us to work closer together between German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland and produce a digital product with consistent content that continues to meet the needs of both parts of the country.”