DAuthor Peter Hossli interviewed:M«There’s no such thing Oas quality journalism»

Marc Walder explains

Blockchain Why media companies are taking a close look at this technology.

In-house journal September 2018 CONTENTS

4 T ell us, Marc Walder ... The CEO explains the important points of the new corporate strategy and reveals where his own weaknesses lie. 8 T he next big challenge Blockchain has triggered a surge of innovations. An increasing number of media companies are beginning to tackle 16 this technology. 12 «Emotionally unbearable» An interview with former Blick author Peter Hossli about his first book. Why he paid rent to the Mafia, where he goes to cry and why he goes off on assignment for selfish reasons. 16 Focus on Ringier The best press photos of the last quarter. 18 The price of investigative journalism Journalists and editorial teams increasingly collaborate to pool their investigative resources. But who is allowed to participate? And do private media companies end up profiting from duties paid by the public? 22 The hype is over The share price is in the doldrums, followers are deserting. The world’s biggest social network is in a crisis. 4 24 Accolades, attire and other attractions News from the world of Ringier: happy award winners, gamers and a new shop. 26 Sir Dracula can sing, too How English actor Christopher Lee 22 rendered a group of journalists speechless in Locarno. 8 28 Money instead of character Publisher Michael Ringier discusses the differences between Zofingen’s Wigger valley and California’s Silicon Valley. 29 My Week – Leonie von Elverfeldt Chapati, traffic jams, team parties and safaris in «the world’s most beautiful country». 30 The Just-do-it Girl Anniversary: Priska Wallimann / Recommended reading by Marc Walder Cover Concept: Zuni Halpern 12

Publishing information Publisher: Ringier AG, Corporate Communica- tions. Executive Director: René Beutner, CCO, Dufourstrasse 23, 8008 Zurich. Contact: domo@ ringier.ch Editor-in-chief: Alejandro Velert. Contributors: Ulli Glantz and Markus Senn (visual realization), Marc Badertscher, Vinzenz Greiner, Adrian Meyer, Leandra Petersen. Translators: Gian Pozzy (French), Claudia Bodmer (English), Ioana Chivoiu, (Romanian) Proofreaders: Peter Hofer, Regula Osman, Kurt Schuiki (German), Patrick Morier-Genoud (French), Claudia Bodmer (English), Lucia Gruescu (Romanian). Layout/ Production: Zuni Halpern (Switzerland) Image Editing: Ringier Redaktions Services Zurich. Print: Ringier Print Ostrava and SNP Leefung Printers. No portion may be reprinted without the editor’s permission. Circulation: 10,000 copies. 18 DOMO is published in German, French, English and Romanian. Photos: Yvon Baumann, Stefan Falke, Julie de Tribolet , REUTERS/Christinne Muschi/File Photo DOMO – September 2018 | 3 62W & 52L

The customers should be at the center of our activities. Could you elaborate on this? Tell us, We need to keep asking ourselves: What does what we're doing mean for our users or our readership? How well do our users find their way around? How can we make our customers’ lives easier? The user experience will determine whether someone likes using your products or opts for an al- Marc ternative. In the digital world, that is just a click away. W a ld e r... A new business strategy, How do we recruit the plus five leadership princi- best talent for Ringier? ples. Together they set Other companies dream up a new course for Ringier. all kinds of enticements CEO Marc Walder explains How will you make sure to score in the job mar- the key points. these two initiatives ket, from free cafeteria Texts: Leandra Petersen and Alejandro Velert catch on with our staff? food to ping-pong tables The employees of all our companies need to understand and relaxation rooms. «Six to win» and «Five to lead», and they really need to We want to have the best people working for us and our ask themselves: What does that mean for me, for my companies, in Myanmar as well as in Warsaw, Belgrade, sector or department, for my team, for my company? Lagos, Accra and Lausanne. We want to be an attractive Here's a specific example concerning «Six to win». and reliable employer offering our employees pros- Before the end of 2018, we on the Group Executive pects, both in terms of business and personal develop- 62W und 52L: What does that mean? Board will want all Ringier companies and businesses ment. That’s exactly what we are working at. It’s one of We have set out a strategy framework with six points to tell us: «What does customer orientation mean to our most important challenges. and five leadership principles – to ensure our compa- you? How do you measure that? And what are the spe- ny’s success. 62W and 52L mean «Six to win» and «Five cific measures you derive from that?» We will conduct to lead». More than ever, we consistently want to focus a methodical survey to this end. In early 2019, further on our customers, our profitability, digitalization, measures will follow. market opportunities and collaboration. You have also defined five leadership principles. Honestly, which of them could you personally do Will any editor in Asia better at? care about guidelines All of them. Most of all when it comes to focus. We are supposed to be a from Zurich? What do we need a strat- profitable company. Isn’t We, the members of the Group Ex- egy paper for? that self-evident? ecutive Board, are very close to the The media industry is changing In ten years, we have invested close to two billion Swiss various companies, in my opinion. rapidly. Ringier as a company wants francs, and we will have to keep investing and trans- We work closely with every country to drive rather than be driven by forming. That is only possible if we have the capital to and we all benefit from each other’s change. We have defined guidelines back it up. And that is what we need to earn. It is essen- knowledge and experience. The to provide orientation for all of us. tial that our employees keep this in mind. strategy is a framework, not a strat- They’re specific, comprehensible – egy defined for each and every one and applicable. It's not about creat- of our companies. It is now up to all ing an entirely new strategy but the Ringier companies to adapt this about defining and clarifying a framework to their own business strategy we have already been fol- model and culture. lowing.

4 | DOMO – September 2018 DOMO – September 2018 | 5 62W & 52L

The 6 points of the company strategy framework What is Ringier How do you want to doing right, what measure whether people will Ringier need implement and abide by A customer-focused A profitable, Driver of digitalization to do better? these principles? media company sustainable company We want to exploit the opportunities MW: When it comes to European media MW: Management and employees should ask them- In publishing and in marketplaces. In order to be able to invest our own digitalization has to offer, and we want to companies, we are actually in the top selves in the future whether their decisions support We create the best content and services, capital, we want to be a financially stable be leaders in monetization. Technology & bracket. This is good, but we can't rest corporate strategy: Am I customer-oriented in my be- because our customers are the basis and sustainable company. data are a top priority. on our laurels. What we can do better? havior? Am I doing my job in a way that is sustainable of our success. Learn something new every day and and of course profitable? Am I bearing in mind the is- implement it, both on the small and sues concerning digitalization? This will be the bench- the large scale. At a management con- mark by which we will judge our employees in future. ference some time ago, we put this in It may be stipulated in the target agreement, be incor- a nutshell: drive change. After all, porated in further training or be practiced as part of change is the one great constant. our management culture.

How great is the risk that such a paper will simply be shelved and forgotten? MW: Great. Anything you resolve to do risks being forgotten or de-prioritized. That is equally true of resolutions like «I want to do more for my health» as it is of «six to win» and «five to lead».

An agile, international company. Top employer and An independent family business We behave like entrepreneurs, center of collaboration We want to be independent of seizing attractive opportunities We promote personal responsibility, treat political parties and interest groups, and investing where promising our employees with respect and facilitate in all geographical markets and opportunities arise. collaboration across all borders and business areas. boundaries.

Five to lead – The leadership principles

The five leadership principles have been worked out by the Group Ex- ecutive Board in order to establish a consistent understanding of leader- ship. These principles are important to management and employees alike, because they define a direc- tion and set guidelines. By estab- Further information is available on the lishing clear principles, Ringier 62W&52L landing page. Simply scan the wants to base its leadership on a Focus Communication Development Trust Entrepreneurship QR code to receive further information solid foundation, creating guide- on the Ringier company strategy and the lines as they are required in today’s

leadership principles. Illustrations: Flaticon fast-changing world.

6 | DOMO – September 2018 DOMO – September 2018 | 7 BLOCKCHAIN

The next big challenge Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies may be shaking up the financial markets, but Swiss media companies are also taking a close look at blockchain technology Text: Marc Badertscher

hen the value of Bitcoin and But let’s go back to the beginning, W other cryptocurrencies went and indeed to Bitcoin. The whole through the roof last year, the media thing would not have started without jumped on the bandwagon. Every this first digital cryptocurrency. day, readers were swamped with Since its beginnings in 2009, people articles addressing the new phenom- anywhere in the world can send enon. The media were observers, something of value– in this case: explainers, critics, but that was it. Bitcoin – through the Internet with- Media companies themselves were out asking anyone for permission. barely affected by this issue. There is no company, authority or That is beginning to change. The bank to control the sending of Bit- topic has reached the management coins unilaterally. And yet, it works. level of Switzerland’s media compa- So-called blockchain technology nies, taking over meetings and lead- prevents the illegal copying of these ing to strategy debates. The crucial valuable items (see box). question is whether these new tech- Bitcoin has triggered a huge surge nologies will lead to changes that of innovations. There now are sever- require a response. al platforms – e.g. Ethereum – on The focus is not so much on Bit- which items of value can be created coin et al. but on new marketplaces and moved. For quite some time this for articles, advertising, real estate no longer merely involves cryptocur- and classifieds, i.e. the entire range rencies as such but things from the of activities creating revenue for old, known world, e.g. shares, tickets Gold-rush mood: Employees of the mining media companies today. A first batch to events or shares in properties. 2019 enterprise Bitfarms check the fans at their of rough-and-ready marketplaces of will see widespread experiments data center in Farnham, Canada. This this kind is currently being devel- begin to transfer such valuables onto Canadian company allegedly mines oped outside of media companies. At a blockchain. Instead of a company, 250,000 dollars worth of Coins every day. some point, they might become a independent computer software will problem – for media companies like keep track of who owns what. Ringier, Tamedia and the NZZ Group Of course, all of these things have

Photo: Getty Images as well. been working just fine without

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blockchain technology, but the prob- the moment,» says Samuel Hügli, is an experiment that must be taken lem is efficiency – among other Head of Technology and Ventures at seriously. The kicker of this new In- How blockchain works things. The supermarket chain Mi- Tamedia. «All the same, there is a ternet browser from former Mozilla gros has its own system for managing new emerging core technology that boss Brendan Eich is that users will its Cumulus customer card. Ticket- concerns all business areas in which also profit from the digital advertis- corner has its own platform, hotels values are transferred. Within five or ing and eventually be rewarded for have their own booking systems, not ten years, every industry will have their attention with a small share of to mention banks. But offline and adopted blockchain to some extent.» the revenue paid out directly to them. online worlds are growing increas- In the coming months, Tamedia in- In the field of journalism, Civil, ingly entwined, and the question of tends to invest in fintech as well as Steemit or Gifto are worth mention- how to organize ownership and ac- acquiring shares in a few blockchain ing. They all curate news or op-ed cess to services in the digital realm is start-ups. pieces, being hybrids between classic This transaction is bundled into a more important than ever. The NZZ Group is not ignoring this news platforms and social media. As A user wants to execute a so-called block by a randomly This block will be distributed The new blockchain platforms issue either. Andreas Bossecker, is often the case in the crypto world, transaction. He sends it to a host of chosen computer. through the network. offer a solution. They allow Cumulus Head of Technology, says: «At the economic incentives are part of the computers in the network. customer card points, hotel bookings NZZ Media Group, we are, of course, deal. Take, for example, the idea of and shares to be represented as so- studying these matters and examin- rewarding readers for recommending called digital tokens. The advantage ing various options for new projects. successful articles or postings at an being that everything is standard- For now, however, nothing is defi- early stage and thus assuming a cu- ized and globalized from day one, the nite.» rating function. Civil, in turn, is try- initial hurdles for new projects are No one is in a hurry to act, even ing to build a system of reputations low, and tokens may be easily trans- though start-ups around the globe for reliable journalism. Successful ferred and traded completely auto- have been launching initial projects authors are also directly remunerated matically without a central control that may affect media companies. In on this platform. mechanism. This should create new the field of online advertising, Brave And then there are the new mar- marketplaces. The potential is con- The transaction is thereby siderable. Photo on the right: The network verifies the confirmed. This is why the issue has hit home The first validity of each transaction If everything is correct, the new block will with corporations in every industry, blockchain in this block. be linked to previous blocks. This especially those that are already in- monument in the transaction is now secured in the volved in marketplaces, including the world, erected in blockchain. media companies. the Slovenian At Ringier, the International Dig- town of Kranj. ital Team is taking the lead in these matters. Currently, the department is focusing mainly on monitoring the trends and start-ups in this new line of business. At the same time, pres- ketplaces. Dozens are currently funds. Thanks to so-called «smart tion, there are higher authorities one entations and videos are deployed to emerging. Platforms for betting (Au- contracts», this procedure is easy to could appeal to. build up in-house expertise that will gur), marketplaces for physical ob- implement. No intermediary is re- As a rule, most of these new mar- eventually enable management to jects like eBay (OpenBazaar) or for quired. And should the parties in- ketplaces would also work without make farther-reaching decisions. luxury items (TendSwiss), real estate volved in the deal have a disagree- blockchain technology, but handling «Right now, no one knows what the (Atlant) and jobs (Ethlance). They are cash flow and access rights is likely to consequences for the media compa- all using blockchain to at least partly become more efficient and trustwor- nies will be,» says Emilie Reynaud automatize the business that has thy than they are now. So far, howev- from the International Digital Team. hitherto been provided by conven- er, there is no project that is ready for «But we need to be prepared.» In or- tional companies. «Right now, no one knows what use by the general public. This is der to gather experience, Ringier is, Why blockchains work In concrete terms, this is how it partly due to the underlying block- for instance, considering adopting works: Today, an outfit like eBay chain technology, which is still in the the new, still experimental Internet A blockchain is basically a database, and adding correct transactions. If it guarantees that the deals taking the consequences for the media fledgling stage. Most of the block- browser Brave, which is designed to however, it is not stored on a single does, it will be financially rewarded. This place on its sales platform are all companies will be. But we need chains these new applications are deal with cryptocurrencies. The ob- computer but on thousands around the is an incentive to behave correctly. If the correct. Black sheep are weeded out based on are too cumbersome, too jective is to increase in-house exper- world. These computers are in constant computer (or its owner) wants to cheat by the company. This is one of the to be prepared.» expensive, still immature and unable tise through low-risk endeavors. contact with each other, so all of them anyway, it will simply be skipped, and the company’s raisons d’être, for which to manage large numbers of transac- The media company Tamedia is always have the same and the latest data. network selects the next computer to they can charge a small fee per deal. Emilie Reynaud, Ringer International Digital Team tions. also educating its top management The question is: How do you make sure add to the database. As a result, On a blockchain-based platform this Numerous start-ups and several about blockchain. Workshops have the database is only fed with correct and fraudulent or illicit transactions will not kind of monitoring company is no blockchains will go belly-up, as do been conducted for management and valid data and not, say, with illicit, be entered into the database. (This works longer needed. Fully automated cash many enterprises in the traditional others will be slated for the board of fraudulent transactions? The solution to as long as the majority of the computers flow guarantees that the deal will go world of business. To write off block- directors. In addition, in-house pro- this problem is the great achievement of are not in collaboration with a crook. This, through correctly. chain technology for this reason jects for the company’s software public blockchains, and here’s how it in turn, is highly unlikely: It would weaken Sellers must make a deposit that ment, they can call on an arbitrator would be premature. In the short programers are aimed at exploring works: Every few seconds or minutes, all the network and reduce the profit – the they get back once the buyers have who will judge the case for a fee. term, the consequences of new tech- these new options at an early stage. the participating computers randomly reward – of each participant.) At the end received the goods and are happy. At These arbitrators are decentralized nologies are often overestimated, in Everything is still at an experimental choose one among them to add new of the day, the economic incentives make the same time, buyers pre-pay upon agents, independent entrepreneurs the long term, they tend to be under- stage, there are no actual applications transactions to the blockchain. All of the participating computers abide by the ordering, but the transfer is frozen who risk losing their reputation if estimated. The next decade will show for users as yet. «Blockchain is cer- them monitor carefully whether the rules, creating a highly robust system until they have received and ap- they were seen to be in cahoots with what this will mean for the media

tainly being somewhat overhyped at selected computer is abiding by the rules without a central control. Photo: AFP , Flaticon proved the goods and release the one of the parties involved. In addi- industry 

10 | DOMO – September 2018 DOMO – September 2018 | 11 INTERVIEW

Peter Hossli, for a long time you were Which is why the risk of failure is What is to be done about it is up to Peter Hossli at the very secretive about the content of huge. I had to decide whether to the decision makers. Serbo-Hungarain your book. People in the industry write about our craft, the crisis in In front of the computer instead of border during the were expecting you to drop a bomb- journalism or an exposé. I concen- out in the field: You maintain that too refugee crisis of shell. trated on the craft, only lightly many journalists stay stuck to their summer 2015. I never said it was a secret. I only touching on the other two areas. My desks at the editorial offices. «Out in the field, I said I didn’t want to talk about it. focus is on how a reporter works, It’s dangerous to generalize, but all am focused and You’d been planning to do an exposé, what drives him and what this too often, journalists only look at the turmoil around right? profession’s duty is. I do that using their computer screens and report me gives me an No, never. I was aware of the risks my own history and the stories I on what they see there. inner calm.» involved in this project because the have told over the past 25 years. Quality journalism is only possible if book was going to be personal. The You describe a good story as a happy you go outside? media industry likes to gossip, and I pill, something that affects a journal- Oh, I don’t like the term «quality didn’t want too many people ist’s brain like a drug. How long have journalism». A good piece in a interfering with it. I wanted to give you been addicted? tabloid can be just as good as a long myself a lot of space. (Thinks for a long time) When I was article in the high-quality daily Now, we learn that, in your entire ca- six years old, my father’s company «NZZ». Each text, each picture, each reer, you were only ever happy with went bankrupt. We had to move video has to abide by the rules of one text, the one about photographer from a big mansion with swimming journalism, no matter where it is Robert Frank. How happy are you pool and goats in the garden to a published. with your first book? three-room apartment in Nussbau- That’s for others to judge. men, a nondescript village in the You’re not getting away that easily. canton of Aargau. That was when I I am rarely completely happy with first tried to discover why and how «When I was six years old, my texts. That is somewhat things happen. And I realized you my father’s company went exhausting, but it makes for better can lose everything from one day to work. My very first boss at the daily the next. Ever since, I have lived bankrupt. Ever since, I have «Tages-Anzeiger» drummed that with this blend of curiosity and into me: «If you think you’ve insecurity. lived with this blend of written something great, odds are What about the urge to tell stories? it’s just mediocre. If you keep That is innate in every human curiosity and insecurity.» struggling and quarreling with it being. It’s as old as mankind. A cave right up to the deadline, it may turn painting depicting local mammoth Peter Hossli out to be good.» He was right. herds is journalism. And it is an You work a lot and are always unhap- important social duty. Journalists Speaking of the «NZZ»: In the chapter py? That sounds grueling. are service providers for democra- «Kalt geschrieben, kalt erwischt» I am not unhappy but self-critical. cy. That is crucial to me. We are not (Ripped off, caught out) you describe You’re always only as good as your the fourth estate. Real power how, in your early days as a freelance last story. The German journalist resides with the people and the journalist in the US in 1998, you Wolf Schneider says: Someone decision makers. offered the «NZZ» an article you had always has to work; either the What is the role of the journalist, copied from the «New Yorker». author or the reader. I try hard to then? I regret that to this day. I originally lighten my readers’ workload as As journalists, we have to get as started out at the magazine «Facts», much as possible. close to the truth as possible and where I learned a great deal. You’ve turned out a very personal describe and depict it impartially. Including the things one should book. So others can make the right never do: dramatizing stories, decisions. There are journalists ripping off other people’s research, «Emotionally who want to change the world and using other people’s quotes and operate as activists. To me that is facts. But that’s no excuse. My first rent went the wrong approach. Did you apologize? What if, as was the case in 2015, ref- Of course. In the book, I also to the Mafia ugees on the refugee route through describe other failures. My Eastern Europe ask you for help? interview with Monica Lewinsky, unbearable» PETER HOSSLI Peter Hossli’s (49) debut The misery and the distress in the for example. Getting the opportuni- DIE ERSTE is a book about how and MIETE Balkans were enormous. Many ty to talk to her was a sensation. But GING AN why he works as a DIE MAFIA refugees asked me if I could drive the interview per se was feeble. All Journalist Peter Hossli presents his first book. «It’s a declaration of love to our WAS ICH BIN: reporter. At once REPORTER them to Berlin in my car. I know of she wanted to talk about was the compelling and very journalists who did this. I reject handbag company she had profession.» In our interview, the long-time Blick contributor reveals why the personal, this memoir that, because it means interfering founded. I have learned from every whining of his colleagues gets on his nerves, his failure with Monica Lewinsky, shines a light on the thin line between with reality. Journalists report – mistake. professional obsession and private we’re not people smugglers. You also missed the Columbine High and where he goes to cry. responsibility. So, you observe rather than help. School massacre. My daughters criticize me for that, I was sitting at Denver Airport, Interview Alejandro Velert Werd Verlag, 370 pages, too (smiles). Photographer Pascal watching what was happening on 29 Swiss francs Mora and I filled a double-page TV. It was only fifteen miles from ISBN 978-3-85932-939-3 spread for «Blick» every day. We where I was! But I misjudged the

Photo: Pascal Mora revealed what was going on there. scope of this tragedy and

12 | DOMO – September 2018 DOMO – September 2018 | 13 INTERVIEW

boarded my flight. When I arrived In your work, you get very close to in New York, I already had a dozen events and people. At the same time, requests from several editorial you insist that reporters need to be offices. In my book, I want to levelheaded and keep their distance. portray journalism as vividly and Isn’t that a contradiction? specifically as possible. Failures are When I see starving children in part and parcel of that. Somalia, I push my response to You’re saying journalists are spending them to the back of my mind. too much time looking at their com- Otherwise it would be emotionally puter screen. Were things better in unbearable. The focus is on the the old days? story, and I have to write as good an No, on the contrary. Journalism is article as possible. A matter of pure altogether better today. The craft. Facts and a sober style of writ- problem is that the business model ing generally evoke much stronger is breaking down. This leads to emotions than a tragic or sad great uncertainty and budget cuts. account. That’s why we are spending more Do you like going to places like that? time sitting at our computers. I once asked a war correspondent Journalists burn too much energy why he travels to war zones. He complaining and they are too explained to me that at home, in the preoccupied with the industry’s American paradise, his inner business model. turmoil was much greater than the What’s wrong with that? outer turmoil, and that made him That’s the media managers’ job. restless. They are supposed to develop new And does that go for you, too? business models. As journalists, we I’m the same. Continually going off have to tell stories rather than on assignment is a rather selfish What is the You are the cause. Coming back was a rupture for me. I concerning ourselves with struc- thing. Out in the field, I am focused political climate in Precisely. It’s the family that makes would have loved to stay in New tures. and the turmoil around me gives me the USA? What sacrifices. I am very close to my two York. But it made sense, if only for Are cat videos and funny picture an inner calm. problems are daughters, they mean a great deal the children’s schooling. galleries good stories? And when you go back home? people struggling to me. But instead of being with You were able to work continually for If cat videos finance good journal- My sentiments are private. At the with? In 2016, them to celebrate their birthdays, I Ringier since then, mostly for «Blick». ism, I am all for it. We’re living in an editorial office, I don’t say a lot, at Peter Hossli was travel around the US with a Not to sound derogatory, but there excellent time for journalism. The home, a bit more. Processing what I looking for presidential candidate. That leads are more prestigious publications. world is highly complex, the news have seen often takes place in Lake answers from coal to inner strife. It was important to Journalists don’t work for their wheel is turning incredibly fast. Zurich where I go for a daily swim. miners in Grundy, me to describe that. It’s part and reputation but for the readers. That calls for assessment and And I go walking in the woods. Virginia. That is parcel of a reporter’s life. At least Working for the Blick Group was a explanation. Good stories always That’s where I cry. There’s some- where Trump got my fourteen-year old daughter privilege. I was able to realize some work. thing cathartic about that. the highest wants to become a journalist, great stories. After eight years, I What is your advice for young jour- One cannot switch off one’s emotions, approval ratings in having read my book. To me, that is was ready for a change. nalists? after all. the primaries. the nicest compliment. She What is the difference between a Be different. Wherever many No, but your emotions shouldn’t Hossli soon recognized the book as being a writer and a reporter? journalists gather, you won’t find a control your work. I let them come realized: «Trump declaration of love to a profession. «Writer» is too big a word for what I story. That was my most important once the job is done. In Namibia, in has a very high Was it Lynsey Addario’s book that do. What I like about my current job lesson as a freelance journalist in 2009, I wrote about a married chance of getting inspired you to write your own? is the rhythm. Every day by 8 a.m., New York. The foreign correspond- couple. He was Swiss, she was elected.» Lynsey’s book mattered a lot. But I’m at my office, I write till 5 p.m. ents would study the daily newspa- Namibian. Their two small children the crucial question came from and go home. The hamster wheel of pers and report what the Americans had been murdered. Even today, the Ayan Dagan. She was my interpret- the news cycle no longer deter- wrote to Europe. I soon realized story still gets to me when I read it. er on an assignment in Somalia. She mines my life. But I am beginning that I wouldn’t be able to earn Do you stay in touch with your pro- asked me: «Why do you write?» I to miss the deadline. money that way. So, I had to offer tagonists? couldn’t get her question out of my And yet you’re already writing your different stories. Yes, I’ve remained connected on mind. next book. What is it about? With success? that personal level with some of In your book you tell that interpret- and partner. But when it comes write about that or not? Above: 2009, in At our Christmas dinner, my It was an excellent business model. them. I exchange weekly emails er’s story. It gave me the shivers. down to it, we humans are alone. No one goes through life without Crawford, Texas, father-in-law told me about a The principle of supply and demand with a gun nut from Ohio, a Trump Ayan Dagan was circumcised when And then, I’m a reporter. At the end experiencing unpleasant episodes. where George W. murder case that happened when applies to journalism, too. If there is voter. she was little. As are all girls in of the day, that’s what defines me. My father shaped me. I couldn’t Bush had a ranch. he was young. I was galvanized. a shortage of a commodity – the In your book, you keep coming back Somalia. She was raped and You’re also a son. In the book you’ve leave that out. A reporter gets as After eight years Based on this story, I will portray good story – the price will go up. to managing the balancing act be- performed an abortion on herself. outed your father as an alcoholic. close to the truth as possible. of Bush, all of the the life and customs in Switzerland Did you grow rich in America? tween your family and your job. Why does she tell that sort of thing My childhood wasn’t easy. The way Does your father know he features in originally ten during the Cold War. No, I didn’t, but I was able to live A few years ago, I read the excellent to me, a stranger from Europe? I work has a lot to do with that. the book? souvenir shops In your book, you keep railing against comfortably and never was in the autobiography of war photographer What does it take for a reporter to In what way? He does. had folded. Below: the bad tradition of counter-checking red. I paid my first rent to a Mafia Lynsey Addario. She writes about earn such trust? That’s what I My parents going bankrupt made After eleven years in America you Playing tug of war that is customary in Switzerland. So, family, as undercover agent Joseph the things she misses because she is wanted to write a book about. me curious and insecure. Growing returned to Switzerland in 2009. You with starving we don’t have to let you check this Pistone aka Donnie Brasco later always on the move, about the The cover of your book reads: «What up with an alcoholic leaves a mark. describe this moment as an internal children in Somalia interview? explained to me. They owned the sacrifices she makes. I completely I am: a reporter.» It doesn’t say father It forced me from an early age to disaster. Did you ever really arrive in 2017 – always That’s something a journalist New York house where I first lived. disagree with her there. I am not a or life partner. become self-sufficient. here? holding on to his should never offer after an inter-

You are known to be meticulous. victim. At home, of course, I am a father PascalPhotos: Stefan Falke, Mora Did you have your doubts whether to iPad! view (laughs). 

14 | DOMO – September 2018 DOMO – September 2018 | 15 In this feature, DOMO regularly presents the best photographs published by Ringier titles in the past quarter. FOCUS ON RINGIER You will find more excellent pictures from the past quarter on our Facebook page DomoRingier.

Ringier’s best photos of the last quarter The best pictures and their stories: An eggcellent cover. A fountain of youth. High tech going to the dogs. And a pig going to the slaughterhouse.

L’ILLUSTRÉ L’ILLUSTRÉ BLICK EMMANUEL PIERROT Photographer JULIE DE TRIBOLET Photographer STEFAN BOHRER Photographer JULIE BODY Editor JULIE BODY Editor TOBIAS GYSI Editor How do you illustrate the topic Even a Shaun the Sheep soft These days it takes a lot of burnout on a magazine toy fails to cheer up Inuk. to keep people from per- cover? That was the problem This ten-month-old manently peering at their facing the makers of L’illustré Labrador, whose eyes smartphones. A column of in June. The magazine had would melt a heart of stone, suffers from smoke just about did the trick. On July 27, an already addressed this issue leptospirosis, an infectious disease, and almost mile-high pillar of smoke looms in the three years ago. Back then, they had regularly has to undergo dialysis at the small sky over Basel. Discarded railroad ties have photographed those afflicted and printed their animal clinic in Berne. Photographer Julie de caught fire on a hauling company’s grounds. image on wrinkled paper. «This time we Tribolet and journalist Mireille Monnier spent When Blick photographer Stefan Bohrer wanted an even more abstract solution, six days for L’illustré magazine at this catches sight of the smoke, he gets into his car eschewing personalization,» says art director veterinary hospital for dogs and cats. Editor and drives to Basel’s Rhine harbor. «But the Julie Body. French photographer Emmanuel Julie Body: «We gave them both a lot of time to police were already cordoning off the streets.» Pierrot came up with the perfect idea: a get a comprehensive picture of what goes on Bohrer finally manages to shoot his photo- human face, portrayed on an egg. «The cracks at the animal clinic.» Their report shows graph from the harbor basin. «It was surprising and dents in the eggshell symbolize the impressively to what lengths these veterinari- how relaxed people were watching the whole fragility of a person suffering from burnout. ans go. High tech for man’s best friends. And thing.» The police are not so carefree. Assum- The color is reminiscent of vulnerable human since cats and dogs aren’t always the best of ing the smoke to be toxic, they appeal to the skin,» says Julie Body. The little egg, all alone pals, the clinic has two waiting rooms, one for entire population to stay indoors. When Bohr- in empty space, about to break down – that is a pooches, one for kitties. er tells his editors about the photograph, he is clever solution with a touch of humor, and yet told the paper’s column space is entirely full. full of respect for the problem and the SCHWEIZER ILLUSTRIERTE «When they saw the picture, they made room consequences of a burnout, maintains Body. KURT REICHENBACH Photographer for almost an entire double-page spread. I’m a NICOLE SPIESS Editor tiny bit proud of that,» says Bohrer. SCHWEIZER ILLUSTRIERTE Fortunately, even the most NICOLAS RIGHETTI Photographer wonderful summer in the LIBERTATEA NICOLE SPIESS Editor mountains yields a bit of VLAD CHIREA Photographer & Editor Photographer Nicolas shade, otherwise Kurt They’re called the «White Righetti doesn’t know if the Reichenbach’s photograph for Schweizer Men», the men from the fountains near the «Tours Illustrierte would never have been shot. He Romanian veterinary des Carouge» skyscrapers and journalist Manuela Enggist traveled to authority. They check every were originally meant to serve as a free public Engstligenalp, in the Canton of Berne, for two village, every house, every courtyard, because bath. Probably not, but he knows that this is days with the Aellig family. They spend their African swine fever is raging in Romania. By the the exact spot he wants to take pictures. In summers on this high plateau, about 6,500 end of this year, one million pigs will have been summer, grown-ups and children alike find feet above sea level, together with their cows, slaughtered. «Pigs have a special meaning in refreshment here – free of charge, of course. calfs, pigs and goats. «I soon realized I wanted Romania,» says Vlad Chirea. «The animals are Schweizer Illustrierte had commissioned to photograph the cows using a drone,» says usually slaughtered for‹Ignatul›. On that day, Righetti to capture this summer’s heat wave Reichenbach. Unfortunately, he had to upset every movement follows a highly detailed for their story on «Switzerland in the Sweat- the cows for this purpose: These animals have ancient ritual.» The meat is important to box». «It is a magical place. When I was a small a regulated daily rhythm they know very well. Romanians, helping them to make it through boy, I used to bathe here like so many others,» However, Reichenbach needed the rising winter. On assignment from Libertatea, Chirea says Righetti. The fountain in Carouge near sun to create the perfect shadows. «So, after was photographing the «White Men» at work in Geneva is something like the town’s unofficial milking them in the morning, the farmer had the country’s south. «The desperate woman in public bath. «There’s a special thrill in jumping to keep the cows in the stable because of me.» the picture is seventy years old. Her name is from one towering fountain to another.» After twenty minutes of the cows’ plaintive Maria. She has lived in Gura laomitei her entire It’s not prohibited but there’s a certain risk lowing, things happened fast. Reichenbach life.» She claims her pig weighed 440 lbs. Half a involved, Righetti admits. Around 7 p.m. the sent the drone up to an elevation of 120 feet year’s worth of food was taken from her. «What light was perfect for shooting these pictures, and released the shutter. «Seconds later, makes people angry is that the authorities had says the photographer. «That’s when the sun- the picture would have looked completely been informed by the European Union a long shine passes in-between the sky-scrapers.» different.» time ago, but they failed to act.»

16 | DOMO – September 2018 DOMO – September 2018 | 17 FOCUS ON RINGIER In this feature, DOMO regularly presents the best photographs published by Ringier titles in the past quarter. INVESTIGATIVE NETWORKS

The price of investigative journalism

Media increasingly cooperate in order to share the burden of big investigative stories. This fruitful collaboration leaves a bitter aftertaste: There is danger of distortion in the media market – sometimes aided by foreign fee payers. Text: Vinzenz Greiner

hat’s one impressive figure! Four- pounces on the multi-billion-euro how soccer stars dodge taxes. Two media journalist Petra Sorge tells Swiss Television SRF and is now these investigative groups,» Sorge T ty-five investigative journalists business of selling Maltese pass- years earlier, in the «Luxembourg DOMO. writing for the Swiss online maga- criticizes. from various newspapers, TV and ports, the Swiss daily «Tages-An- Leaks», the International Consorti- But not everyone can play. DO- zine Republik. Not only do local newspapers radio stations jointly investigate the zeiger» picks up the scent of the Pila- um of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) MO’s inquiries about the admission Media journalist Sorge confirms: never appear on the member list of same case sifting through hundreds tus Bank on Malta that leads to had exposed secret tax deals be- criteria at the association «Forbidden «It always comes down to good con- any investigative group, neither do of thousands of documents, digging Switzerland. Other journalists from tween the tiny EU member state and Stories», responsible for the «Daphne certain publishing houses. An inves- through enormous piles of data and the conglomerate focus on this multinational conglomerates. The Project», and at the ICIJ, remain un- tigative journalist writing for a Sun- conducting interviews. Their goal is bank’s ties to the ruling clan of Azer- disclosures about the «Panama Pa- answered. The EIC under the lead of day paper of one of these Ger- to continue the work of Daphne Caru- baijan. The New Zealand radio sta- pers» and the «Paradise Papers» were «Spiegel» writes on its website that «I have never seen a local man-speaking media companies, ana Galizia, because she no longer tion follows this trail to an asset also the ICIJ’s work. The project «The «only one medium or media outlet resignedly says: «We always get left can: On October 16th, 2017, a car manager in Auckland. All in all, more Migrants’ Files», in which journalists from each European country can be newspaper participating in one out.» bomb took the life of this 53-year-old than 80 articles are published as part from fifteen countries researched an EIC member, ensuring national Nepotism in the business of inves- Maltese investigative journalist. Up of the «Daphne Project». how many refugees on their way to exclusivity.» of these investigative groups. tigative journalism at the expense of until her death, Galizia kept report- This is not an exceptional case but Europe not only leave their home An investigative journalist who those media that are not allowed to ing on corruption in the island na- part of a trend: An increasing number countries behind but lose their lives has done research in several groups It always comes down to good participate? tion. of national and transnational co-op- in the process, won the European like this, explains to DOMO how this «Investigative stories are expen- Six months later, the findings of erations are developing, with various Press Prize. type of collaboration develops. connections.» Petra Sorge sive rat races,» says media journalist the 45 journalists are published. media companies pooling their re- Some of these investigations lost «Based on my own experience, I can Sorge. It is a matter of staying ahead Under the heading «The Daphne sources for big investigations – and politicians their jobs; private ac- say that project-related investigative in terms of information, preserving Project», their 18 media houses in 15 successfully so. counts were frozen, criminal official collaborations come about through nections.» Fellow journalists meet at exclusivity, often spending months countries follow the leads that Gali- In 2016’s «Football Leaks», the investigations were initiated. That is personal contacts. You approach conferences or panels, where they on investigations. Smaller publishing zia could no longer pursue. investigative group European Inves- journalism with an impact. «It’s great colleagues or you are asked to partic- network. It seems to be a very elitist houses should refrain from transre- While one participant, the Ger- tigative Collaborators (EIC) led by the that there is more and more pro- ipate,» says Sylke Gruhnwald, who circle. «I have never seen a local gional investigative stories, because man paper «Süddeutsche Zeitung» German weekly «Spiegel» revealed ject-related collaboration,» German has worked for the Swiss daily «NZZ», newspaper participating in one of they would not be able to keep up

18 | DOMO – September 2018 DOMO – September 2018 | 19 INVESTIGATIVE NETWORKS

with their big competitors. She adds are members of the public-service Swiss Radio and Television SRF, ing network of doping and corruption Several celebrities that investigative top stories are a broadcaster «Arbeitsgemeinschaft for instance, has already been in- in Russian sports. came under selling point at newsstands, which der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfun- volved in several collaborations – in- This investigation not only in- pressure for failing could put additional pressure on kanstalten der Bundesrepublik ternationally with the «Migrants’ volved the Swiss magazine «Repub- to offer an smaller media. Investigative journal- Deutschland» (Association of pub- Files», domestically for the following lik» and the «Sunday Times» but also explanation: the ism with adverse side effects? lic-service broadcasters in Germany investigation into Islamism: In Au- Sweden’s public TV broadcaster STV Panama Papers In Switzerland, two current polit- – ARD) –, as well as the «Süddeutsche gust 2017, an article on the Islamist and Germany’s ARD. To Petra Sorge, revealed that the ical motions are calling for stricter Zeitung» have been partners in an preacher Abu Ramadan in Biel ap- it is obvious that «fees for public-ser- Queen of the rules regarding co-operations be- investigative group. They regularly peared in the daily newspaper «Tag- vice broadcasters are used to United Kingdom tween the public Swiss Broadcasting produce big investigative stories, e.g. es-Anzeiger». On the evening of the cross-subsidize a private medium in invests part of her Corporation SRG and private media, about ISIS, the «Paradise Papers» or same day, there was an in-depth re- another country. A single company fortune in offshore in order to preserve media diversity. the «Offshore Leaks», reaping criti- port on the issue in the SRF cur- is privileged: Why ‹Republik›? Why tax havens. It is now up to the government to take cism with equal regularity. rent-affairs show «Rundschau». Both not ‹Tages-Anzeiger› or ‹Aargauer Portuguese soccer these concerns into account in the After all, the group is an institu- parties had been jointly investigating Zeitung›?» star Cristiano forthcoming new Swiss media law. tionalized co-operation between for months and then published «Republik» journalist Sylke Gruh- Ronaldo shielded But the pressure that Sorge men- WDR, NDR, «Süddeutsche Zeitung» in concert. nwald explains why. She knows the his money from tions is not only felt in Swiss parlia- and no one else. Head of the group is SRF had already collaborated with ARD editor responsible for broad- the revenue ment but also on the job market. A former «Spiegel» editor-in-chief «Tages-Anzeiger» on an interactive casts on corruption and doping in authorities via freelance reporter working in Germa- Georg Mascolo who is paid by all map of dialects of the German-speak- sports. After she had been asked to shell companies. ny and Switzerland says: «I some- three of the participating media. ing world. This joint venture also collaborate, she contributed research The Malta Files times work on the same topics as the NDR provides infrastructure for the included the leading German news from Switzerland. Gruhnwald main- uncovered big investigative conglomerates. Of broadcaster’s own employees work- platform «Spiegel Online». Was tains that «Republik» is also open to dubious dealings course, it’s not always easy to prove ing for the investigative network. «Tages-Anzeiger» participating collaborations with other media, but of the Erdogan your mettle in the market, if you’re While these three media compa- exclusively, thereby benefiting from «to me as a journalist the crucial clan; Iceland’s competing with the joint effort of nies fail to see any problem in this TV license fees? question is: Whom do I trust enough prime minister dozens of journalists.» collaboration, others cry market In answer to an inquiry from to collaborate and to share the results Sigmundur This issue becomes even more distortion. Julian Reichelt, edi- DOMO, the SRF press office gave this of my investigations with?» Gunnlaugsson problematic and controversial in tor-in-chief of the German tabloid explanation: «The fact that investi- So, there is nothing to worry even had to step terms of media and regulatory poli- «Bild», put it in an interview with gations in both cases happened in about? «Whether there is a problem down because of cies as many of these investigative media magazine «Zapp»: «As a jour- collaboration with ‹Tages-Anzeiger›, in terms of regulations in collaborat- the disclosures. groups not only include private me- nalist paying TV license fees, I am was pure coincidence and resulted ing with public-service broadcasters And we learned dia but also public-service broadcast- sponsoring my own print competi- Global media from the biography of the journalists is worth considering,» agrees Gruhn- that Gianni ers that are fee-financed. tors at the newsstand.» collaboration involved.» In other words: cronyism. wald, but she feels that this matter Infantino signed This is also true of the «Daphne Some people in the industry have Andreas Meili, a Swiss expert in should be settled primarily between contracts with Project». In this group, newspapers dubbed the group a «quotation car- Journalists and editorial teams increasingly cooperate to media law, thinks that investigative the private media and the publicly shell companies like «The New York Times», the Swiss tel». Stephan Russ-Mohl, professor of pool their investigative resources. Disclosures of documents collaborations only become problem- funded enterprises. while he was head daily «Tages Anzeiger» and the Ger- journalism at the Università della from secret services, embassies and law offices (Panama Pa- atic when «individual journalists or German media-law expert Wierny of UEFA’s legal man weekly «Die Zeit» joined forces Svizzera italiana in Lugano, writes in pers, Offshore Leaks, Wikileaks news) made a noise in the media are systematically excluded is clear on this point: «This is effec- department. with public service broadcasters like his book «Die informierte Ge- world. After the murders of journalist Daphne Caruana Gali- from accessing such material.» He tively a case of indirect cross-subsi- «Radio France» and Germany’s «Nord- sellschaft» (Informed Society), that zia in Malta and Jan Kuciak in Slovakia, journalists and media maintains not to have noticed any dization of foreign media with Ger- deutscher Rundfunk» (NDR). «one gets the impression that in companies joined forces to follow up on their investigations. such restriction of competition. man public-service broadcasting Since 2014, NDR and «West- every other news broadcast, the in- But what about the foreign media deutscher Rundfunk» (WDR) – both vestigative pool of NDR, WDR and market? Sorge fears that in the long ‹Süddeutsche Zeitung› is named as phalia, passed the new WDR bill to run media diversity might suffer. The the source.» He calls this «free adver- establish clarity regarding collabora- fact that private media companies tising for one of many German qual- tions with third parties. According to like «Spiegel Online» with its map of ity papers.» Thomas Wierny, expert witness and dialects or the French daily «Libéra- «Individual journalists or me- Media journalist Sorge, one of the consultant in media and constitu- tion» as well as the Austrian daily first people to vociferously criticize tional law in Bonn, the bill has not «Standard» with their «Migrants’ dia are systematically excluded this investigative group, wonders achieved that objective. «Decisions Files» get to profit from the resources why no other private medium apart on collaborations remain neither and work of a Swiss public-service from accessing such material.» from the «Süddeutsche» is allowed to transparent nor open to scrutiny.» broadcaster does not seem to bother participate. «As a viewer and fee Market distortion as sanctioned SRF. According to the broadcaster’s Andreas Meili, expert in media law payer, I want a maximum of investi- by the authorities? Replying to our press office, when it comes to these gation. But at the price of market inquiry, the responsible European collaborations it does not matter distortion?» Rules concerning pub- commission informs DOMO that «whether the parties involved are lic-private partnerships within the there have so far been no complaints public or private as it is always a economic system should also apply regarding such collaborations. matter of give and take. Public fees.» However, this might be «a Media journalist Petra Sorge to journalism, according to Sorge. Instead of merely receiving ques- participants also benefit from the necessary evil in some circumstanc- criticizes that investigative «Just as if WDR appoints a cleaning tions from the press, however, the private media.» es», if these investigations yield networks tend to be based on company for a long-term coopera- commissioners, as well as antitrust The collaboration also works the results that are of interest to the good connections. «Fees for tion, there needs to be an invitation lawyers in non-EU countries may other way: In some cases, private German fee payers. Wierny: «At public-service broadcasters are to tender when a certain amount of soon have to deal with delicate cases media in Switzerland are already the end of the day, it is a matter of used to cross-subsidize private money is at stake.» regarding this issue. After all, inves- profiting from investigative work weighing interests.» media.» Due to the ongoing criticism, in tigative groups are spreading across done by public broadcasters in other One might also say: It is a matter 2016, the parliament of WDR’s home national borders, including those of countries, e.g. for «Geheimsache of what price you are willing to pay

federal state, North-Rhine West- Switzerland. Photo: Keystone, Getty Juliane Images, Werner AFP, Doping» – an exposé of the far-reach- for big investigations. 

20 | DOMO – September 2018 DOMO – September 2018 | 21 SOCIAL MEDIA

he lines currently appearing in outfit Cambridge Analytica used the TTV ads, print advertisements and personal information contained in on posters throughout Ger- some 87 million Facebook users’ man-speaking Europe are stunning: profiles without their approval to «f stands for our faults, f stands for influence public opinion in both the failed trust, f stands for frustration US presidential elections and Brit- – about our inability always to live up ain’s Brexit referendum with unau- to our responsibility. We want to thorized political advertising. Face- apologize for that.» Facebook, the book had been aware of the data The hype biggest social network, has been abuse since 2015 but failed to inform deploying statements like these as its users. part of a broadly based image cam- These disclosures lost Facebook paign to regain the trust of its users. 50 billion dollars at the stock ex- The big blue data hog is eating crow change. Mark Zuckerberg himself in a major way – and promising a had to testify before the House of «more advanced, better Facebook.» Representatives; he appeared re- They must really have taken a morseful, apologized and vowed to is over beating. At least their accounts have improve data protection. – to the tune of 150 billion dollars. At first, it seemed that the scandal That is how much Facebook would not have a major effect on For the first time in the company’s history, Facebook is regis- burned in a single day, on July 25th. Facebook’s business: The share price Uphill battle: However, since the data abuse The share lost a quarter of its value. quickly bounced back and climbed Facebook founder scandal, the pressure for Facebook tering declining user figures. More and more people appear It is the biggest price drop in to record heights. Mark Zuckerberg. to finally take the needs of its users stock-market history and the sign of But then it turned out that Face- In Europe, the seriously has been mounting. Even to be feeling uneasy about the social network. The company the break of an economic trend. book had lost the trust of its users in social network is Zuckerberg, who had always been a For the first time ever, Facebook a major and lasting way. A storm had losing three moral opportunist, appears to be has reached a crossroads. has reported flatlining user figures. been brewing in the background. million active changing his mind. He is promising In Europe, they are even declining: Brandishing the slogan #deleteface- users each day. to invest in data security and prevent Text Adrian Meyer Three million active users are kiss- book, huge numbers of people call The company’s manipulation. He now intends to ing the social network goodbye – for a boycott of the social network. cavalier attitude take measures against hate speech each day. Young users in particular Celebrities like Tesla founder Elon towards users’ and fake news. no longer feel like signing up. Face- Musk, the singer Cher and Apple data has taken its In addition, the focus should once book’s growth has reached a limit – founder Steve Wozniak delete their toll. again be on the users: more photos and the end of its fabulous yield. profiles. of friends, less news, more cat pic- And yet, rapid growth regardless Millions of other users joined tures, fewer videos. Basically, taking of the consequences had always them because they were fed up with a step back to its roots. been the basis of the business model the data hog’s behavior. The storm This will also have an effect on CEO Mark Zuckerberg (34) believed finally broke with a thunderclap in publishing houses. Facebook had in. And for a long time, it paid off. July, when Facebook announced its become their most important part- Within 15 years, Facebook rose from quarterly figures – and the stock ner for increasing the reach of their an online facebook for Harvard stu- crashed. digital content. Even in 2017, chang- dents to the world’s biggest social Users’ disenchantment with es to the newsfeed algorithm had led network numbering some 2.2 billion Facebook had actually been obvious to declining user figures for the users. for a long time. Scarcely anyone publishers. Now 2018 may well be In the six years since the company wrote anything personal anymore, the year they begin to slip out of the went public in 2012, Facebook has and the Timeline only featured the stranglehold the mighty platform grown by a billion users and in- same old self-promoters. Most has acquired on them – and say good- creased its turnover from 5 to 40 friends remained silent or invisible. bye to clickbait. billion dollars. Meanwhile, the share There was a whiff of death about the Mark Zuckerberg had already price rose from 38 dollars to a peak network. promised to «fix Facebook» at the of 210 dollars in mid-July, just before Facebook’s reputation suffered beginning of this year – before the the crash. At that time, Facebook’s for other reasons as well: filter bub- data abuse scandal. So far, not much market capitalization was 630 billion bles and fake news, dictatorships has happened. That kind of makeo- dollars. Those are awesome figures. using the network for propaganda, ver would cost a lot of money. Zuck- The users’ data is the oil that foreign regimes twisting it to influ- erberg vowed to invest up to 60 keeps the social network’s engine ence elections. Instead of people percent more into data security, running. Accumulating as much networking for positive purposes marketing and content. That does data as possible about the greatest they began to spread hate speech not make investors happy. possible number of users in order to and incite aggression towards mi- Facebook is at a crossroads. If the deploy targeted advertising, that is norities. network cleans up its act it will have the core of Facebook’s business. Up until that point, Mark Zucker- to give up its policy of rapid growth Protecting that data is of less con- berg had fudged his way through – and the associated fabulous yield. cern. claiming that Facebook was just a If it keeps going as before users will This cavalier attitude towards platform without any responsibility continue to desert it in droves. The users’ privacy blew up in Facebook’s for its content. That was how he question is: Will Mark Zuckerberg face last spring. In March, it tran- maintained high growth rates – re- make good on his promises this

Photo: Stephen Voss/Redux/Laif, AFP spired that the British data analysis gardless of the consequences. time? 

22 | DOMO – September 2018 DOMO – September 2018 | 23 INHOUSE Awards, Apparel and

other Attractions Ringier Schweiz Awards In Washington, Ringier wins the «Global Media Award», and 2018 in Africa, our company is also reaping all kinds of accolades. The first edition was a great In December, so will our staff: at the Ringier Schweiz Awards. success, and so the Ringier Schweiz Awards will return this year. The appropriate attire is available from our new shop. Nominations may be submitted on www.ringierschweizawards.ch as of now. At the awards ceremony, which will take place at the From zero to first place Xmas Party in Zurich in December, individual employees, teams or First participation, first award. Last June, the International News entire departments may be honored with awards, in one of the Media Association bestowed a «Global Media Award» on Ringier following categories: The Moneymaker, The Storyteller, The at its World Congress in Washington. The project «Using Ad- Changemaker, The Innovator, The Teamworker, The Colleague. vanced Artificial Intelligence to Boost Digital Reader Engage- ment» won in the category «Best idea to grow digital readership or engagement». Xiaoqun Clever, Chief Technology and Data Officer of Ringier AG: «This award makes us very proud. I would never have dreamed that we, with our tiny team which has been working on this for less than two years, would be able to prove ourselves in the highly competitive environment of this award.»

Game on The eSports fan base is growing apace. That is why the Blick Group is expanding the eSports division to provide more support for the scene in Switzerland, Germany and Austria as well as Merchandising-Shop Prizes aplenty in Africa supply it with pertinent content. Says Roger Hämmerli, Head of Buy cool gear in line with Ringier’s new corporate strategy! Social Media at Blick Group: «We’re seeing huge growth potential Further information about our new shop is available on the 62W&52L In Africa, Ringier is going from strength to strength – and winning plenty of for our media brands in this field. We’re banking on a content mix landing page. Simply scan the QR code. prizes: In July, Pulse Nigeria won the award for «Best Online Media Website» at including live streams, video content, reports, interview and the .NG Awards. At the Social Media Week in Nairobi, Brighter Monday Kenya personal stories on famous gamers.» Price list: was given the «Award for Best Blog». Meanwhile, Ringier Kenya nabbed the Hoodie: 49.95 CHF and up Digital Media Award 2018 for «Most Innovative in Digital Publishing». And Bottle: 18.00 CHF Leonard Stiegeler, General Manager at Ringier Africa, even made it into Forbes Notebook: 7.00 CHF Africa: In the Technology category, he was one of the executives profiled in «30 Ballpoint pen: 4.00 CHF and up under 30». T-shirt: 20.00 CHF

24 | DOMO – September 2018 DOMO – September 2018 | 25 MICHAEL RINGIER MY WEEK Leonie von Elverfeldt, 34. Managing Director Ringier Africa Digital Publishing, Money instead Nairobi, Kenya. of character

absolute exception, and to this day, Travis Kalanick, the eccentric foun- the Humanitas foundation annually der of Uber, was forced by investors donates a handsome sum to people to step down as CEO in 2017. Accusa- in financial distress. My grandfather tions of aggressive leadership, theft founded this trust to financially sup- of company secrets, an investigation MONDAY FRIDAY Michael Ringier, Publisher port Ringier employees suffering concerning fraud and an alleged I launch into the new week. It begins with a Once a month, on a Friday, we throw a big hardships. In an era without a public breach of fiduciary duty as well as cup of coffee and some unleavened bread drinks party. Friends and customers are support system in place, this was a allegations of sexual harassment – chapatis are irresistible! welcome to join us. Today, the RADP team are clear acknowledgement of entrepre- and bullying in everyday operations I check the last seven days’ statistics, including also offering cake and drinks to celebrate our nce upon a time, Ringier neurial responsibility. proved too much for investors fea- page views, reach and impressions, and winning the «Most Innovative Digital began as a start-up, but ring for the brand‘s reputation. What prepare for the week to come. Publisher» award. even the most sympathe- The difference between Zofingen’s also didn’t help was what the Uber tic historical narrative Wigger Valley and California’s Sili- co-founder said during a filmed con- wouldO not be able to detect any hint con Valley is vast. Human dumb- versation with one of his drivers, WEEKEND of a scalable model or industrial dy- bells and hyperventilating smart who complained to his passenger Kenya is the most beautiful country! Only two namics during the first two genera- alecks are probably the rule, rather Kalanick for increasing his demands WEDNESDAY hours away from Nairobi, you get to see tions. When my grandfather, at the than the exception, in their found- on drivers while simultaneously lo- spectacular views and wildlife. I spend the tender age of twenty-two, had to ing generation. Were there an open- wering fares: «Some people don’t My 6.30 a.m. workout motivates me and weekend camping with friends. We go on a hike take over the already 65-year-old ended Richter scale for egomania, like to take responsibility for their makes me happy. Not so much when the and have a picnic. On Sunday, we drive back to company after his father’s untimely the biggest earthquake would pale own shit. They blame everything in alarm goes off, but afterwards. I work out with Nairobi around 3 p.m. Otherwise we might risk our lives in the dark with oncoming old trucks death in 1898, it numbered fewer in significance. Elon Musk, Tesla‘s their lives on somebody else,» was a personal trainer, my room-mates and home-made weights. I live with three friends and all those crazy Matatus – Kenya’s means of than a dozen employees. father figure, undermines his ma- his reply, which quickly went viral in a small house with a garden, just ten public transport. nagement with impossible an- on the Internet and was not well re- By the time of his death in 1960, the minutes away from the office. company was Switzerland’s biggest nouncements and suggests that a ceived. Neither was Kalanick’s ra- private publishing house, with more father of five is a homosexual, sim- ting of the driver with one out of five than 2,000 employees. ply because the British diver pro- possible stars. nounced Musk’s mini-submarine Karl Lüönd, author of the historical completely unsuitable for the rescue The list of Silicon Valley narcissistic account «Ringier bei den Leuten» of those Thai children trapped in the technocrats could be continued end- (Ringier with the people), – publis- cave. lessly. They all have one thing in hed for the company’s 175th anni- common. They are at war with the TUESDAY versary – describes August Ringier It took a court order for Steve Jobs, media, because they perceive criti- as an imperious, grouchy factory the founder of Apple, to acknow- cism as a personal insult. The con- At 10.00 a.m. I take an Uber to my meeting. owner and domestic tyrant. My own ledge his eldest daughter, two years clusion, money and power don’t Our office driver Alex is on the road with the video team for a live vox pop. In Nairobi , you memories of him are somewhat after she was born, and he paid a change a person’s character – they should always allow for a buffer of thirty more charitable, but he was certain- monthly child support of 385 dollars, reveal it. minutes as traffic can be a nightmare. In ly formidable. Still, he was not just which was later upped to 500 dollars. Karen, a suburb of Nairobi, I visit Unilever to THURSDAY the innovative pioneer who single- As she wrote in her newly published introduce our RADP services. handedly developed intaglio prin- biography, when she left at the end First publishers’ summit. Each publishing house ting presses and founded numerous of one of her last visits with him he gets to introduce their target groups and their new magazines; he was also an old allegedly shouted after her: «You unique selling point in a five-minute presenta- tion. I take this opportunity to convince school boss with a sense of social smell like a toilet!» Hardly the stuff agencies and customers of the quality of our responsibility. Dismissals were an of fatherly love. products «Pulse Live» and «Business Insider». Photo: Maurice Haas

28 | DOMO – September 2018 DOMO – September 2018 | 29 RINGIER MEETS THE STARS Sir Dracula can sing, too Professional journalists should always keep their distance from their subjects, and there is one thing they ought to avoid at all costs: becoming fans of the interviewee. That is rather difficult when you’re sitting across from British actor Christopher Lee. Text: Alejandro Velert

e are waiting for the Prince of evident in the subsequent minutes. While most of us are rubbing our W Darkness. The man whose Basically, this man has nothing eyes in wonder, the next colleague voice sets Middle-earth a-trembling. left to prove. A former intelligence says he is from Barcelona. And Lee The man about whom the «Frank- officer and highly decorated war answers ... no, not in Spanish, which furter Allgemeine Zeitung» once hero, Lee is a living legend. Famous he could certainly do. Lee speaks wrote: «If evil has a face it must for his portrayals of the blood-suck- Catalan! Rumor has it that Lee has closely resemble his.» We are wait- ing Count Dracula. Revered as the also mastered three Urdu dialects ing for Christopher Lee. suave and steely villain in the Bond and can pass for a local in Pakistan. We, that is six journalists from movie «The Man with the Golden It must be true but we don’t have different countries in a conference Gun». Thrilling as Saruman in the time to double-check. room at the Hotel Eden Roc in Asco- «Lord of the Rings» trilogy. For, the British actor has begun to na, Switzerland. Twenty-minute But, as I said, the old man does talk about his love for his wife, to round-table conversations like this not really appear to be all that evil. whom he has been married for more are hardly the stuff journalists’ Before we journalists start to pester than 50 years. And about his other dreams are made of. him with questions, he asks, quite great love, music. Lee has just re- However, the following meeting the English gentleman, where we all corded two Heavy Metal albums that is to become a memorable occasion come from. And that’s when the made it into the charts. At 91 years, for everyone attending, for Christo- show begins: this is another world record. He pub- pher Lee is not only a titan of cinema The first colleague says he’s from lished the albums under the pseudo- (which is what Britain‘s former Berlin. So, Lee greets him in German nym Charlemagne, referring to the Prime Minister David Cameron so refined it makes the journalist’s great king and emperor of the 8th called him). Lee is a force of nature, head spin. How come Lee speaks and 9th century. With good reason, a cultural fireworks in human form. perfect German, the Berliner wants as Lee’s lineage on his mother’s side When the tall actor, who is almost to know. «My German isn’t perfect, can be traced back all the way to the six foot five, enters the conference it’s just accent-free. There’s a differ- age of Charlemagne. room leaning on his walking stick, ence,» Lee replies. So, it hardly And since Lee is obviously happy he does not look at all like a Prince of comes as a surprise that he goes on with our gathering, his mood upbeat Darkness but more like a kindly to address my colleague from and his voice in fine fettle, he goes grandfather. The impression chang- Romandy in equally accent-free on to launch into a Verdi opera. es, however, when he greets the French – He spent part of his child- Shortly thereafter, he makes his journalists in his booming bass hood in French-speaking Switzer- distinguished farewells, leaving voice: «Good morning, everybody!» land, Lee explains. And that was behind a speechless gaggle of jour- he thunders. We really feel as if we where he had his first big appearance nalists. were at the movies. Was that the evil on the stage: «That was ... Rumpel ... Nowadays, one would probably sorcerer Saruman who just ordered Rumpelstilzchen!» Five years old he dub Christopher Lee a multi-talent the devastation of Middle-earth? was at the time, and he crapped his or a multi-tasker. A more fitting epi- Christopher Lee is in town to re- pants before going on! Lee laughs He set the world thet would be: highly sophisticated. ceive a Lifetime Achievement Award and the earth quakes. record for the A personality the likes of which the at the Locarno Film Festival. Asked The next journalist says he’s from highest number of Internet generation is unlikely to about his age, which is 91 at the time Moscow. Whereupon Lee loudly screen credits for produce. of the interview, he quips: «I‘d rath- launches into a Russian song (he is a a living actor: Christopher Lee died in London er decay physically than mentally.» trained opera singer) and cheerfully British thespian on June 7, 2015, just after his 93rd

Just how fit his mind is becomes goes on to chat in Russian. Christopher Lee. birthday.  Photo: Getty Images

26 | DOMO – September 2018 ANNIVERSARIES Editor’s Choice by Marc Walder Ringier CEO Marc Walder tells The Just-do-it Girl you what he is reading and The trade she once learned no longer exists. No problem for Priska Wallimann. why it fascinates him.

«Change is what makes life exciting,» she says. She invests her creativity into Max Tegmark infographics for the Blick Group, creating award-winning works. LIFE 3.0: BEING HUMAN IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL Photos and Illustration: Priska Wallimann INTELLIGENCE Inexorably, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is very few months, Priska Wallimann taking over more will walk through the Pressehaus at E and more parts of night, whenever Ringier’s art depart- our lives. While ment has hung new paintings in the some dream of a building. Her favorite is the big South prosperous future Pole picture by Andreas Gursky at the for humanity, others fear AI could front desk. «If I had a big wall at home, I lead to disaster. In his very wise would make Mr. Ringier an offer,» she book, renowned MIT physicist says with a laugh. Instead, she painted a Max Tegmark addresses possible smaller interpretation of her own at scenarios. Some are exciting, home. others disturbing. From phenom- Priska loves art. She invests her crea- enal progress and highly devel- tivity into her work. Her job is doing in- oped technologies to humanity’s fographics for the Blick Group. She calls self-destruction, anything is pos- herself a visual journalist. «I tell stories, sible. But Tegmark is optimistic: just by means of graphics.» She says she «We can create an inspiring future sometimes does several weeks of re- if we win the race between AI’s search to prepare for her work, some of growing power and our growing it in her spare time, making hand-drawn wisdom of how to manage it,» he sketches, writing texts. «Even the tiniest maintains. A book that gazes into detail has to be right.» Just how good she the future and sometimes reads is at her job has recently come to the at- like a thriller. Publisher: Knopf tention of the Society for News Design in the USA. Her infographic «Die Wahrheit International Institute for über weisse Weihnachten» (The truth Management Development about white Christmas) won Priska an Excellence Award, a sort of Pulitzer Prize WORLD DIGITAL COMPETI- for infographics. TIVENESS YEARBOOK Priska calls herself a Nike girl: «Just 2018 How is Switzerland do it» is her motto. «And because Ringi- IMD is an independent business school, with Swiss roots and global reach, expert doing in terms of in developing leaders and transforming IMD WORLD er is a just-do-it company, I have loved organizations to create ongoing impact. DIGITAL COMPETITIVENESS For the last 7 consecutive years, IMD RANKING 2018 has been ranked TOP 3 in executive digital fitness? Rather education worldwide – FIRST in open programs (Financial Times 2012-2018).

www.imd.org working here for the past twenty years.» 3

1 well, according to the A trained photolithographer, she began 2 «World Digital Com- her career in digital image processing for IMD, IMD INTERNATIONAL, REAL WORLD. REAL LEARNING, IMD BUSINESS SCHOOL and IMD WORLD COMPETITIVENESS YEARBOOK are trademarks of IMD- International Institute for Management Development RANKING COMPETITIVENESS DIGITAL IMD WORLD petitiveness Year- magazines; a few years later, she was book» of the Lausanne IMD Busi- teaching employees in the Eastern Euro- ness School, which has fortunately pean Ringier countries to use Photoshop. become a member of «digitalswit- Priska subsequently collaborated on zerland». The IMD survey shows various re-designs in Switzerland and that Switzerland has improved its abroad. «It was always learning by do- international ranking from 8th to ing.» The changes in the business and 5th place. The survey’s authors the new technologies are thrilling to the credit Switzerland with great ad- 46-year old. «Nothing is worse than aptability and agility. But there is a standing still.» lot of room for improvement: Until a year ago, Priska spent most of When it comes to schools and her spare time with her horse. Then e-government, Switzerland lags «Vini» had to be put down. Now, drawing behind. This readable and instruc- and painting are the most important tive survey can be downloaded things in her life. Priska has just spent a from www.imd.org. month in Paris, at the École des Beaux- Self portrait by Priska Wallimann, a monochromatic ink watercolor Arts. «Apart from one or two visits to (above). Her last vacation was spent almost entirely at the École des museums, I was drawing nonstop and Beaux-Arts in Paris. A special privilege: her class was working at the enjoying life. And I’m taking all of those historic chapel (below left). A 360-degree photograph of her horse inspirations with me to the office.» AV  «Vini», who had to be put down a year ago (below right).

30 | DOMO – September 2018