Preparing for a German free paper war - Part II
The German newspaper group WAZ (Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung) prepares for a potential launch of a free paper in Germany and plans its own free paper, reports Persoenlich. It is the second publisher that does so: back in September publisher Axel Springer has announced plans to launch a free paper called Gratissimo in case Schibsted or another publisher launches a free sheet in Germany (see former posting).
WAZ is now preparing a free paper for the Ruhr Valley, the same area where the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung has its subscribers. In principle, WAZ, like Springer, is opposed to free papers and the project is only a preparation for the case publishers like Schibsted or Metro launch free papers in Germany.
UPDATE: The Frankfurter Rundschau reports today (14.3.06) that WAZ denied media reports that it is preparing a free paper. The publisher thinks that free papers are not the right way to attract new readers.
Sources (in German): KleinReport, Persoenlich.com, Frankfurter Rundschau (through IFRA-newsletter)
2 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Preparing for a German free paper war - Part II.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.editorsweblog.org/mt/mt-tb.cgi/3860
Good idea from Jeff Jarvis in its Buzzmachine. Because Western reporters are pretty much blocked in the "green zone" of... Read More
Good idea from Jeff Jarvis in its Buzzmachine. Because Western reporters are pretty much blocked in the "green zone" of... Read More
Leave a comment