Res Strehle and Markus Eisenhut named Co-Editors-in-Chief of Tages-Anzeiger

Press Release 

Zurich, 31 March 2009 - Markus Eisenhut and Res Strehle will jointly take over the helm of the editorial office of Tages-Anzeiger. The current Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tages-Anzeiger and the current Co-Editor-in-Chief of Berner Zeitung are succeeding Peter Hartmeier who will take on a new challenge within Tamedia. Effective June 2009, he will assume the position of Publisher at Huber &Co. AG, the publishing house of Thurgauer Zeitung. Res Strehle will take over his new responsibilities at Tages-Anzeiger effective 1 May 2009, while Markus Eisenhut will follow as of 1 June 2009.

The selection of Markus Eisenhut and Res Strehle by the Board of Directors of Tamedia was preceded by an extensive evaluation process that reflected the demands of the position. The new Co-Editors-in-Chief bring a broad range of experience in journalism and extensive management skills to the newspaper.

Res Strehle left Das Magazin in the spring of 2007 to join Tages-Anzeiger. For six years, from 2001 to 2007, the 58-year old was Editor-in-Chief and ultimately also Managing Director of the weekly publication. He continued to enhance the journalistic substance of Das Magazin together with his team and was instrumental in building a partnership with Basler Zeitung and Berner Zeitung. Under Res Strehle's management the weekend supplement increased its readership significantly and was profitable for the first time in its history.

Prior to joining Tamedia, Res Strehle, who has a doctorate in economics, wrote for Weltwoche, Bilanz, Facts, and other publications, and in 1981 he was one of the founders of the weekly newspaper Woz. Res Strehle is the author of several books. He also lectured at the University of St. Gallen, the School for Social Work in Zurich, and the Centre for Media Studies (MAZ) in Lucerne.

Markus Eisenhut was project manager at 20 Minuten AG where he arranged the launching of the commuter paper 20 minutes in French-speaking Switzerland before joining Berner Zeitung in 2006. Together with Co-Editor-in-Chief Michael Hug he continued to develop the regional orientation of Berner Zeitung and expanded the publication's successful association with independent partners. Previously, the 46-year old had played a major role in the reorientation of the media business of Vorarlberger Medienhaus in Romania and Hungary.

From 2001 to 2003 Markus Eisenhut headed the editorial staff of the commuter paper 20 Minuten, which more than doubled its readership during that period. Earlier, Markus Eisenhut, who pursued legal and German studies at the University of Zurich, had been Deputy Managing Editor at Tages-Anzeiger, Head of News of SonntagsZeitung, Editor of Schweizer Illustrierte, and Head of the sports section of Blick and SonntagsBlick.

Markus Eisenhut and Res Strehle have been working together since the fall of 2008 on the development of the Tages-Anzeiger. According to the new concept, the paper will consist of four bundles. Starting in the fall of 2009, the largest daily subscription newspaper in Switzerland will have a new high-quality appearance and will be much easier to navigate for the readers.

The new concept goes hand-in-hand with an adjustment of the cost structure to reflect the considerable decline in advertising and sales revenues of the past few years. The budget reduction is to be achieved through cost savings in editorial office and publishing, in the production by converting to a four-bundle newspaper, and by focusing on in-house editorial contributions. This budget cut will result in a reduction in staff, as yet undetermined, and early retirements.

Tages-Anzeiger will continue to have strong individual sections and a well-established network of correspondents. At the same time, it will increasingly utilise the advantages of an extensive multimedia system in cooperation with Newsnetz and News. Tages-Anzeiger will be further regionalized and strengthened by the combination of all regional reports in one section of the paper. A decision regarding the details of the new Tages-Anzeiger concept is expected during the summer of 2009 and will be announced at that time.

The Board of Directors and the Management Board of Tamedia wish Markus Eisenhut and Res Strehle every success in their new endeavour.