Sometimes Christmas comes earlier than you think: for Ringier, the SRG and Swisscom. The decision of the Competition Commission Weko to allow the controversial advertising alliance between the two state-owned companies SRG and Swisscom and the private publishing house Ringier has the three companies popping champagne corks. Nobody really expected the decision to be any different, despite the concentrated media offensive by the opponents this weekend, primarily in the Tamedia titles. But the fact that it was made before Christmas is all the more surprising.
The advertising alliance had a strong middle east rcs data supporter from the start in the form of Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard. It was also the media minister who suggested to Swisscom and SRG that they look for a third publishing partner. Ringier was the right partner. The various interest groups differ as to whether and when other publishing houses were approached. In any case, Ringier CEO Marc Walder has made the advertising alliance his topic and a few weeks ago, with great fanfare, he and his publishing house withdrew from the Swiss media industry organisation.
But now to today's decision: The fronts for the future are clear, as are the winners and losers. In the future, the newly approved advertising alliance will be on one side, and the private publishers on the other, working the increasingly tight advertising market.