CH Media Holding

What CH Media Holding does

CH Media Holding AG is the third-largest private media company in Switzerland, headquartered in Aarau and fully owned by the Wanner family since April 1, 2026, following AZ Medien AG's acquisition of NZZ's remaining 35% stake. Formed in 2018 as a 50-50 joint venture between AZ Medien and NZZ-Mediengruppe, the company operates approximately 70 brands across print, TV, radio, streaming, digital, and industrial printing, employing roughly 1,770 people including around 650 journalists in 530 full-time positions. The company reaches approximately 3 million people daily across German-speaking Switzerland, anchored in 13 cantons through 18 regional daily newspapers, the weekend title Schweiz am Wochenende (~1 million readers, ~400,000 circulation across 31 regional editions), 8 national TV channels (3+, TV24, TV25 and the 4+ to 7+ family), 2 regional TV stations, 4 national and 7 regional radio stations, and dedicated digital properties.

The product portfolio spans the oneplus subscription streaming service (CHF 9.90/month or CHF 99/year), which bundles Paramount+ and RTL+ content and is accessible across desktop, iOS, Android, Smart-TVs and set-top boxes; the watson digital news portal (third-largest advertising-funded news portal in Switzerland, available in German and French); the newly launched national news portal Schweiz heute (June 2026) backed by ~350 journalists across the daily newspaper titles; the CH Media Mind audience engagement unit that orchestrates content across the portfolio; and CH Media Print, which operates three production sites (Aarau, St. Gallen, Derendingen) as Switzerland's market leader in industrial newspaper printing. The technology stack combines multi-platform publishing infrastructure, streaming aggregation, and a unified subscription "GA-Modell" that gives existing print subscribers access to all CH Media daily newspapers' digital content at no additional cost.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: advertising (across TV, radio, and digital including OneLog's shared OneDSP booking platform and OneID identity solution, jointly built with TX Group, Ringier, and NZZ), recurring subscriptions (newspapers and oneplus streaming), and B2B print/production services. Annual revenue exceeds CHF 400 million. The company has been actively reshaping its portfolio, divesting Bern-based TeleBärn and RADIO BERN1 to Gassmann Groupe, selling special-interest titles and technical trade journals, shuttering six unprofitable regional "Today" portals, and cutting approximately 140 positions in Q1 2024, while concentrating investment in streaming aggregation, the new national news portal, and the cross-publisher advertising ecosystem.

Name

CH Media Holding

Legal name

CH Media Holding AG

Website

https://chmedia.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

CH Media Holding is the third-largest private media company in Switzerland, operating approximately 70 brands across print, TV, radio, streaming, and digital to reach 3 million people daily in German-speaking Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Platform Media Services

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311), Periodical Publishers (513120), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

National & General-Interest Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAA), Specialty & Niche Channel Distribution (Religious, Comic Shops, Specialty Retail) (MPAJAKAH)

Keywords

• Regional newspaper publishing
• Commercial broadcasting
• Subscription streaming media
• Digital news portals
• Print advertising sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Aarau

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: Revenue from TV, radio, and digital advertising across CH Media's portfolio of approximately 70 brands reaching 3 million people daily
2. Subscription Revenue: Revenue from newspaper subscriptions and streaming service oneplus; new digital subscription model introduced allowing access to all daily newspaper digital content for existing subscribers
3. Print and Production Services: Industrial manufacturing of Swiss daily and weekly newspapers, advertising prints, and high-quality magazines and catalogs at three locations (Aarau, St. Gallen, Derendingen)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CH Media Holding AG operates a multi-platform media portfolio of approximately 70 brands, publishing 18 regional daily newspapers and a weekend newspaper, broadcasting 8 national and 2 regional TV channels plus 11 radio stations, and offering the oneplus subscription streaming service (bundling Paramount+ and RTL+), the watson and Schweiz heute digital news portals, regional job portals, CH Media Print industrial printing services, and CH Media Mind marketing services for advertisers. The company reaches approximately 3 million people in Switzerland daily across print, broadcast, digital, and streaming channels.

Product overview

CH Media Holding is a leading Swiss media house operating a multi-platform portfolio of approximately 70 brands across print, TV, radio, streaming, digital, and printing. The company operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture, combining core media brands with specialized services. The core media offerings include 18 regional daily newspapers (e.g., Aargauer Zeitung, Luzerner Zeitung, St. Galler Tagblatt, Solothurner Zeitung), one weekend newspaper (Schweiz am Wochenende), 8 national TV channels (3+, TV24, TV25, 4+, 5+, 6+, 7+), 2 regional TV channels (TeleZüri, Tele M1), 4 national radio stations (Radio 24, Virgin Radio Switzerland, Radio FM1, Radio Melody), and 7 regional radio stations. Digital products include the oneplus streaming service (bundling Paramount+ and RTL+), watson news portal (third-largest in Switzerland), and Schweiz heute (new 2026 national news portal). Specialized services include CH Media Mind (audience engagement/marketing), CH Media Print (printing), GRIPS (production), OneDSP/OneID (advertising ecosystem), and multiple regional job portals (jobzüri.ch, jobbasel.ch, jobbern.ch, jobmittelland.ch, myjob.ch, ostjob.ch, zentraljob.ch). The company employs approximately 1,770 people and reaches 3 million people daily across Switzerland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• watson: Third-largest advertising-funded news portal in Switzerland with German and French-language platforms
• oneplus
• Radio 24
• Radio Pilatus
• 3+
• TV24
• Schweiz heute
• Schweiz am Wochenende
• Aargauer Zeitung
• jobzüri.ch
• CH Media Mind
• Radio Argovia
• Radio FM1
• Virgin Radio Switzerland
• Flashback FM
• TVO
• Tele M1
• TeleZüri
• St. Galler Tagblatt
• Luzerner Zeitung
• Solothurner Zeitung
• bz Basel
• CH Media Print
• Vogt-Schild Druck
• Grips
• CH Media Academy

Products and services

• oneplus Streaming Service Swiss subscription streaming service offering Swiss and international content including Hollywood blockbusters, top series, Paramount+ Originals, and family entertainment. Accessible via desktop, iOS/Android apps, Smart-TVs, and set-top-boxes for CHF 9.90/month or CHF 99/year.
• watson Digital News Portal Third-largest advertising-funded news portal in Switzerland with separate German and French-language (Romandie) platforms. Offers a journalistic full program with news, debate contributions, and entertainment, formatted appropriately for apps, web, social, and search channels.
• Schweiz heute National News Portal National digital news portal for German-speaking Switzerland focusing on national and international topics while connecting them with regional stories from CH Media's editorial network of approximately 350 journalists.
• Regional Daily Newspaper Portfolio (Aargauer Zeitung, Luzerner Zeitung, St. Galler Tagblatt, Solothurner Zeitung, Thurgauer Zeitung, bz Basel, and other cantonal titles) 18 regional daily newspapers covering the major cantons of German-speaking Switzerland with continuous coverage of politics, business, sports, and culture from the region, Switzerland, and the world, available in print, web, and app formats. Existing subscribers gain access to all digital content via the GA-Modell at no additional cost.
• Schweiz am Wochenende Weekend Newspaper Weekend newspaper published Saturdays in three sections (national, regional/sports, lifestyle), with 31 regional editions reaching approximately 1 million readers weekly and a circulation of around 400,000 copies.
• National TV Channel Portfolio (3+, TV24, TV25, 4+, 5+, 6+, 7+, S1) 8 national TV channels featuring Swiss original productions (e.g., 'Bauer, ledig, sucht...', 'Der Bachelor', 'Masterchef Schweiz'), US blockbusters, first-run hit series, live sports (UEFA Champions League, National League hockey playoffs, tennis), and oneplus Originals.
• Regional TV Portfolio (TeleZüri, Tele M1) Regional television stations providing current, informative, and entertaining programming focused on regional topics for the Greater Zurich area (TeleZüri) and the Mittelland region covering Aargau and Solothurn cantons (Tele M1).
• Radio Station Portfolio (Radio 24, Radio Pilatus, Virgin Radio Switzerland, Radio FM1, Radio Melody, Radio Argovia, Radio Central, Radio Sunshine, Radio Eviva, Flashback FM) 4 national and 7 regional radio stations broadcasting music, news, sports, and entertainment across German-speaking Switzerland via FM, DAB+, and online, including the most-listened private radio in Central Switzerland (Radio Pilatus) and Switzerland's No. 1 rock radio station (Virgin Radio Switzerland).
• CH Media Print Industrial Printing Switzerland's market leader in industrial manufacturing of daily and weekly newspapers, advertising prints, and high-quality magazines and catalogs, produced at three locations (Aarau, St. Gallen, Derendingen).
• CH Media Mind Audience Engagement Service Audience engagement and marketing service that orchestrates content across CH Media's entire universe, uniting strategic thinking, creative storytelling, and targeted orchestration to create closeness between brands and target audiences.
• GRIPS Audio and Video Production Audio and video production company within CH Media creating reportages, image films, commercials, and original content in picture and sound from concept to finished product.
• Regional Job Portal Portfolio (jobzüri.ch, jobbasel.ch, jobbern.ch, jobmittelland.ch, myjob.ch, ostjob.ch, zentraljob.ch) Regional job portals serving job seekers and employers across German-speaking Switzerland, offering job listings, application tools, CV checks, and employer advertising in CH Media news channels.
• OneLog Advertising Ecosystem (OneDSP booking platform and OneID identity solution) Shared advertising ecosystem providing privacy-compliant, centralized access to premium digital advertising inventory across major Swiss publishers, including a booking platform (OneDSP) and identity solution (OneID).

Quantifiable outcome

• Reaches approximately 3 million people daily in Switzerland
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SunriseminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026Wolfgang Elsässer, former CH Media TV National Head, takes a new leadership role at Sunrise (telecommunications company). Sunrise and CH Media maintain a strategic partnership in TV and streaming.
• OneLog (with TX Group, Ringier, NZZ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Swiss media alliance OneLog is refocusing its strategy with leading Swiss media companies TX Group, Ringier, NZZ, and CH Media jointly investing in expanding their shared advertising ecosystem, including OneDSP (booking platform for digital advertising) and OneID (ID solution for digital advertising), targeting over 3 million users. This replaces the original shared login model with an independent advertising ecosystem approach.
• Paramount+coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021oneplus streaming service partners with Paramount+ to offer Hollywood blockbusters, top series, film classics, Paramount+ Originals, international reality TV, documentaries and entertainment on the oneplus platform.
• RTL+coreTechnology or Integrationoneplus streaming service integrates RTL+ content as part of its aggregation strategy, bundling multiple streaming services on a single platform.
• TVO (NZZ Regionalmedien AG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCH Media provides technology, production, marketing and management services for TVO, the Eastern Swiss television station. TVO AG is a subsidiary of NZZ Regionalmedien AG.
• Tele 1 (NZZ Regionalmedien AG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCH Media provides technology, production, marketing and management services for Tele 1, the Central Swiss television station. Tele 1 AG is a subsidiary of NZZ Regionalmedien AG.
• Tele M1 (AZ Regionalfernsehen AG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCH Media provides technology, production, marketing and management services for Tele M1, the leading regional TV station for the Mittelland region covering Aargau and Solothurn cantons.
• prospective media services pms AGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThird-party provider based in Zurich responsible for sending Job Abo (job subscription) emails to subscribers of CH Media's job board service.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SRG SSR: Swiss public broadcaster operating SRF, RTS, RSI television and radio channels with public funding. Competes with CH Media's TV24, 3+, TeleZüri, and radio stations in audience reach and advertising inventory, with structural cost advantages from mandatory license fees.
• Axel Springer: Major European media conglomerate (Bild, Welt) that has executed an aggressive digital transformation, including classifieds (StepStone, Idealista) and US media acquisitions. Comparable trajectory for a multi-platform private media company pivoting from print to digital subscriptions.
• Schibsted: Nordic-based multi-platform media group operating newspapers (Aftenposten, VG, Aftonbladet) and online marketplaces across Scandinavia. Comparable business model transformation from print to digital subscriptions and advertising, providing a relevant public-market benchmark for CH Media's multi-platform strategy.

Direct peers

• TX Group: Switzerland's largest private media company, operating Tamedia newspapers (Tages-Anzeiger, 20 Minuten, Berner Zeitung) and digital marketplaces. Direct competitor in German-speaking Switzerland for newspaper readership, advertising inventory, and classifieds, and co-partner with CH Media in the OneLog advertising alliance.
• Ringier: Major Swiss private media group operating Blick, Blick TV, and a broad portfolio of national and international titles. Direct competitor in national tabloid and entertainment news, and co-partner with CH Media in the OneLog alliance targeting privacy-compliant Swiss advertising.
• NZZ Mediengruppe: Publisher of Neue Zürcher Zeitung and regional newspapers; was CH Media's JV partner until 2026. Direct competitor in quality journalism and regional newspaper markets, and OneLog alliance co-partner for shared digital advertising infrastructure.

Others

• RTL Group: Europe's largest broadcaster operating RTL, n-tv, and streaming services; content partner integrated into CH Media's oneplus platform. Strategic supply-side partner and structural comparable for European broadcasting economics and streaming aggregation models.
• Paramount Global: Global media company operating Paramount+ streaming service, content licensing partner integrated into CH Media's oneplus platform. Indirect peer via streaming aggregation and a relevant benchmark for streaming content economics and licensing structures.

Emerging players

• Gassmann Groupe: Growing Swiss media company that acquired TeleBärn and RADIO BERN1 from CH Media in 2026. A smaller but expanding peer in Swiss regional broadcasting, becoming a more direct competitor in Bern-area electronic media.

Regional players

• Somedia: Regional Swiss media company headquartered in Chur, operating the Bündner Tagblatt and Südostschweiz newspapers plus radio stations. Operates in the same newspaper publishing and regional broadcasting space as CH Media, primarily in Graubünden, where CH Media has limited presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chmediaag
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ch-media

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CH Media Holding