20 Minuten

What 20 Minuten does

20 Minuten is a Swiss free newspaper and digital news media brand, founded in 1999 in Zurich and now operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of the publicly listed Swiss media conglomerate TX Group AG, led by publisher Pietro Supino with Bernhard Brechbühl as CEO of the 20 Minuten Gruppe and Désirée Pomper as Editor-in-Chief. The company serves Swiss residents in both German-speaking Switzerland (DCH) and French-speaking Switzerland (Romandie), operating from headquarters at Werdstrasse 21 in Zurich and regional bureaus in Bern, Basel, and St. Gallen with ~248 employees. Its core offering is a free commuter newspaper distributed at transit hubs and high-traffic locations, paired with a digital ecosystem comprising the 20min.ch website, iOS and Android mobile applications, a video hub, a lifestyle vertical, an audio platform (GOAT), and supplementary services including weather, horoscope, deals, games, and an e-paper archive.

The company's technology and product surface span digital news publishing, video, content syndication, and live television. Core technology includes a digital news platform with mobile applications for iOS and Android, RSS feed infrastructure supporting customizable category-based feeds, and a proprietary Screenplayer digital-signage solution for out-of-home content display. Distribution extends through social media channels (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Twitch, Google News) and a Live TV streaming partnership with Zattoo that embeds SRF, RTL, Pro 7, and BBC News channels. 20 Minuten has also built an in-house AI function — the Wissen/AI-Data department led by Jean-Claude Gerber — supporting AI-powered fact-checking through the 'Facts 4 Future' initiative, plus a citizen-contribution platform (News-Scout) and B2B content syndication to international partners.

The business model is advertising-led, with no reader subscription: revenue is generated from display advertising, branded content and sponsored articles, video advertising, programmatic ad sales, and commercial publishing, supplemented by licensing of news content (via RSS feeds and Screenplayer) to international companies for use on external websites and out-of-home screens. Distribution is hybrid — free print newspaper at commuter locations plus digital self-serve and social channels — and the company also sells advertising products through a dedicated B2B portal (advertising.20min.ch) with rate cards and custom campaign solutions. Customer concentration is broad, with readers as the mass-market audience and advertisers (across Key Account Management, Programmatic Partnerships, and Creative Sales) as the revenue side.

Name

20 Minuten

Legal name

20 Minuten

Website

https://20minuten.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

20 Minuten is Switzerland's leading free commuter newspaper and digital news platform, operated under TX Group AG, delivering free news, video, lifestyle, and live TV content to Swiss readers across German- and French-speaking regions via print, web, mobile apps, and social channels, funded by advertising and content licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Information (51)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

News OTT & Live News Streaming Channels (MPABAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

News & Politics Live Streaming Platforms (MPACACAG)

Keywords

• Free newspaper
• Digital news media
• News publishing
• Content syndication
• Display advertising

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: Primary revenue stream from display advertising, branded content, sponsored articles, and video ads. The company offers various advertising formats including display ads, sponsored content labeled as 'Sponsored', competitions, and programmatic advertising. Commercial publishing team develops and produces advertising content.
2. Business Partner Content Feeds: Licensing of content to international companies who use 20 Minuten's news content for their own websites, out-of-home screens, or other commercial applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

20 Minuten is a Swiss free newspaper and digital news platform delivering breaking news, current affairs, sports, lifestyle, and video content to Swiss residents. The company distributes its print edition at no cost at commuter hubs and transit locations while operating a comprehensive digital ecosystem including the 20min.ch website, mobile applications, and a network of sub-brands such as News-Scout, Fooby, and 20 Minuten vor Ort, with revenue generated primarily through advertising and content licensing.

Product overview

20 Minuten operates a multi-platform digital news media ecosystem with a unified core news product complemented by distinct content verticals and supplementary services. The primary offering includes the 20 Minuten News platform delivering breaking news, in-depth reporting, and current affairs coverage across Switzerland. This core is extended by dedicated video, lifestyle, and audio content verticals, alongside interactive features like the WM Tippspiel prediction game. Distribution is expanded through streaming (Live TV via Zattoo), mobile apps (iOS/Android), and content syndication tools (RSS Feed, Screenplayer). Supplementary services include an e-paper archive, horoscope, weather forecasts, deals/coupons, and online games. The platform also offers B2B advertising solutions and a community-powered News-Scout tip system for reader contributions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• News-Scout: Citizen journalism initiative where readers can submit news tips and stories.
• Fooby
• 20 Minuten vor Ort

Products and services

• 20 Minuten News
• 20 Minuten Video
• 20 Minuten Lifestyle
• RSS Feed
• Screenplayer
• Live TV
• 20 Minuten App
• Spiele (Games)
• GOAT Audio
• Werbung & Tarife (Advertising)
• WM Tippspiel 2026

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ZattoocoreTechnology or IntegrationZattoo partnership provides live TV streaming capabilities to 20 Minuten readers. Users can access popular TV channels including SRF 1, SRF 2, SRF Info, RTL, Pro 7, and BBC News directly through the 20 Minuten platform. This integration enhances the digital media offering by combining news content with live television streaming.
• International Business PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational companies license 20 Minuten content for use on their own websites, out-of-home screens, or other commercial applications. This business-to-business feed service is managed through [email protected] and represents a content licensing revenue stream.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Metro International: Metro is the global pioneer of the free commuter newspaper format, distributed at transit hubs in major cities worldwide. Closely comparable business model to 20 Minuten (free distribution at commuter locations) with digital expansion.
• Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ): NZZ is Switzerland's leading quality daily newspaper with strong digital presence (nzz.ch). Competes with 20 Minuten for Swiss news consumers and digital advertising, though positioned as a more premium/upmarket offering.
• Blick: Blick is another major Swiss free/tabloid news outlet owned by Ringier, offering similar multi-platform news coverage in German-speaking Switzerland. It competes directly with 20 Minuten for Swiss readers and advertising budgets across print and digital channels.
• Tamedia (Tamedia Publications): Tamedia is a major Swiss newspaper publisher (Tages-Anzeiger, Berner Zeitung, 20 Minuten's sister under TX Group historically, now part of TX Group). Competes in the same Swiss German-language daily newspaper market with overlapping advertising audiences.

Emerging players

• BuzzFeed: BuzzFeed is a digital-native media company that built audience scale through social distribution (especially Facebook) and viral/listicles. Comparable in its heavy reliance on social platforms for top-of-funnel reach and advertising monetization.
• Vice Media: Vice is a digital-first media company targeting younger audiences with video content across multiple platforms. Comparable in its focus on Gen Z/Millennial audiences through social channels and video-first storytelling alongside editorial coverage.

Broad incumbents

• USA Today: USA Today is a major US national newspaper with broad-based news coverage, strong digital presence, and significant advertising revenue. Comparable as a large-scale general-interest news brand monetized through advertising across print and digital channels.
• Axel Springer (Bild): Axel Springer is a major German/European media conglomerate, publisher of Bild—a high-circulation tabloid with extensive digital operations. Comparable as a large-scale free/sponsored tabloid news publisher with strong digital ambitions.
• Schibsted: Schibsted is a Nordic media conglomerate operating newspapers (VG, Aftenposten, Aftonbladet) and digital classifieds. Comparable as a multi-brand European newspaper group undergoing digital subscription and advertising transitions.
• Reach plc (Mirror, Express): Reach plc is the UK's largest commercial news publisher (Mirror, Express, Daily Star, regional titles) with significant digital transformation efforts. Comparable as a large multi-title newspaper publisher transitioning heavily to digital advertising.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/20minuten
• Facebookfacebook.com/20min
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/20minuten
• Instagraminstagram.com/20min.ch
• TikToktiktok.com/@20minuten

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about 20 Minuten