7th Swiss free title News on December 5
With the launch of News, the 7th Swiss free daily, total free circulation is approaching paid circulation in Switzerland. News will print 334,000 copies which will bring the total free circulation in Switzerland to more than 2.1 million. Paid circulation in 2006 was 2.3 million. In the 2.1 million free also the (yet unaudited) 430,000 copies of .ch are included.
The 5 editions of .ch were launched in September, in the German part of Switzerland also Baslerstab (Basle), and national titles 20 Minuten (5 editions), heute (3 editions, afternoon), and CashDaily (business newspaper) are published. In the western French speaking part 20 minutes (3 editions) is published next to Le Matin Bleu (2 editions).
The new paper wil be published by the owners of Basler Zeitung, Berner Zeitung and Tages-Anzeiger (Zurich). Tages-Anzeiger owner Tamedia is owns 20 minuten. Apart from the editions for Basle, Bern and Zürich also a fourth edition for Mittelland (kantons of Aargau and Solothurn) will be introduced. In these areas the Mittelland Zeitung by AZ Medien is dominant now. The publisher is therefore also thinking about a free paper to counter News.
News will be distributed through 1,500 boxes in public transport and in commuter areas. Circulation of News Basler Zeitung will be 42,000, News Berner Zeitung will print 60,000 while News Tages-Anzeiger (Zurich) will have a circulation of 100,000. News Mittelland will have the highest circulation with 132,000 (Persoenlich).