Moving Minds

In 1833, Johan Rudolf Ringier, the son of a pastor, bought a print shop in Zofingen where he produced, among other things, official ordinances, teaching curriculums, regulations and printed "Roggwiler Chronik". The first newspaper he published was «Zofinger Wochenblatt».

The local printing enterprise quickly became a national newspaper publishing company.

In 1911 Schweizer Illustrierte Zeitung appeared for the first time, initially produced by letterpress. About ten years later, «I'llustré», the magazine's French language counterpart was launched in the western part of the country.

In the late 1950s, 1959,«Blick» was the first tabloid to be published in Switzerland, followed in 1969 by «SonntagsBlick», the first and most widely read Sunday paper in Switzerland today.

Other new publications and acquisitions in Switzerland followed before Ringier's expansion into Asia in 1988 and into Eastern Europe in 1992. Initial milestones of a company turning into a multinational had been set.

In 1996, Blick Online first appeared on the Internet. Television, radio stations and other important online platforms were added later.

The Swiss publisher of print products has grown into an international provider of multimedia platforms.

Milestones

2008
Ringier celebrates its 175th anniversary.

2007
Take-over of Radio Energy Zurich (51 percent), stoppage of the weekly newspaper
«Cash» through strengthening of the remaining «Cash» multimedia; Ringier sells the TV magazines Tele, TV2, and TVvier to the Axel Springer Publishers. Radio BE1 is taken over by Ringier. Ringier and the Wenhui Xinmin United Press Group enter into a partnership for the first weekly women's magazine Xinmin Bella in China. Ringier takes over the daily newspaper Aha! in the Czech Republic and launches the new daily newspaper ALO! in Serbia. In Romania the TV entertainment channel «Kanal D» is broadcasted for the first time (25% interest). In Ostrava, Czech Republic, Ringier opens a new printing house. With the majority take-over of the media suisse group (80%) Ringier becomes the leading provider in the field of electronic media. And on iTunes Ringier TV obtains its own store.

2006
Imprimeries Réunies Lausanne SA (IRL) joins Swiss Printers AG.

2005
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder appointed consultant to Michael Ringier.

2003
Death of Hans Ringier at the age of 97. Michael Ringier appointed Chairman of Ringier Holding AG, and Martin Werfeli appointed CEO of the Ringier Group and Chairman of Ringier Print Holding AG. Acquisition of women's magazine «Bolero», merger with the Swiss-German edition of «Edelweiss», discontinuation of «dimanche.ch».

2002
SMI Webfactory and Ringier Webfactory merged to form the Previon AG Internet company.

2001
Acquisition of Druckerei Winterthur and ColorServ, a prepress services provider, from Basler Mediengruppe (shut down in 2003). Rincovision transferred to Ringier TV. Discontinuation of «Globo» travel magazine. Strategic partnership entered with the Coop supermarket chain in Switzerland. Coop acquires 50% of the Betty Bossi share capital.

2000
Martin Werfeli appointed Deputy to Chief Executive Officer Michael Ringier. Ringier acquires Hungarian publishing company Magyar Hirlap Rt. from Marquard Media in Switzerland. As a result, Ringier now publishes Hungary's second largest newspaper, «Magyar Hirlap», and becomes owner of a printing plant in Hungary.

1999
Dr. Uli Sigg appointed Chairman of Ringier AG. Acquisition of a 50% share in the Sat.1-Schweiz AG television channel; launch of «dimanche.ch» Sunday newspaper in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.

1997
Ringier Print's Adligenswil and Zofingen plants are now managed as independent companies. Michael Ringier takes on operating and publishing responsibilities as chief executive officer and is appointed Board of Directors' Delegate to group management.

1996
Introduction of new management structure with three divisions: Ringier Switzerland, Ringier International, and Ringier America. First foray into the Internet (Blick Online, Cash Online). «Schweizer Woche» discontinued; inauguration of the printing and processing center in Zofingen; sale of Ringier America Inc. to World Color Press Inc. Death of Eva Ringier-Landolt.

1995
Ringier, NZZ and their German-Japanese partner, Development Company for Television Programs (DCTP) launch «PresseTV», a privately owned publishers' program on the Schweiz 4 channel. The business weekly «Cash» is launched in China. Ringier acquires the Betty Bossi brand from Unilever.

1993
Eastward expansion to Bulgaria («Kesh»), Poland («Cash») and Vietnam («Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam» business weekly). Cooperation with Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG): joint programs «Cash-TV», «Spot-lights», «MotorShow» and «Gesundheit Sprechstunde».

1992
Start of strong expansion in Central and Eastern Europe through launch of «Blesk», the first four-color tabloid newspaper in the Czech Republic. In Romania, Ringier gains a foothold with the business weekly «Capital». Ringier inaugurates Europe's most modern newspaper printing plant in Adligenswil.

1991
Christoph Ringier resigns from the company. Michael Ringier takes on responsibility as Chairman of the board of directors.

1990
New management structure: Christoph Ringier appointed Chief Executive Officer and Michael Ringier Chairman. First steps in Eastern Europe: business weekly «Profit» launched in Czech Republic along the lines of «Cash». «Blick für die Frau» discontinued.

1989
Acquisition of W.A. Krueger Co. in the USA; launch of business weekly «Cash». Travel magazine «Globo» launched in Germany. «Blick Basel» discontinued.

1988
Start of «Blick Basel».

1987
First steps in Asia: foundation of Times-Ringier (HK) Ltd. in cooperation with Times Publishing Co., Singapore.

1986
Electronic image processing introduced in the Adligenswil plant. For the first time in Switzerland, newspaper pages are being transmitted by satellite. «Das Gelbe Heft» is renamed «Schweizer Woche» and is relaunched.

1985
Hans Ringier transfers management responsibility to his sons, Christoph (Chairman) and Michael (Chief Executive Officer). Peter Schneeberger withdraws. Launch of «Blick für die Frau». Foundation of Krueger-Ringier Inc. in the USA and acquisition of W.F. Hall printers (2,500 employees).

1984
Foundation of «Zürivision» television program organization in cooperation with Tages-Anzeiger and Radio 24.

1983
Chief Executive Dr. Heinrich Oswald retires to be succeeded by Dr. Peter Schneeberger.
«Die Woche» is discontinued.

1982
Ringier acquires a majority shareholding in Good News, a concert booking agency.

1981
Relaunch in Germany of «Natur» (with Horst Stern) and of news magazines «Die Woche» and «L'Hebdo» in Switzerland.

1980
Acquisition of Zürl and Heering, magazine publishing companies, in Germany.

1978
Inauguration of Ringier's headquarters, Pressehaus, at 23 Dufourstrasse in Zurich.

1977
«Schweizerische Allgemeine Volks-Zeitung» transformed to «Glückspost», Switzerland's first yellow paper. Inauguration of Adligenswil Press Center (newspaper offset). «Blick» is now printed by its own printing presses.

1976
«Annette» replaced by «100 Ideen», which was subsequently discontinued; merger of «Tele» and «tv radio zeitung».

1974
Inauguration of Ringier School of Journalism (first educational establishment of its kind in Switzerland); discontinuation of «Blatt für Alle»; launch of women's magazine «Annette».

1973
Ringier acquires C.J. Bucher AG publishers in Lucerne, including the daily «Luzerner Neueste Nachrichten» and its printing plants.

1972
Hans Ringier dismisses Heinrich Brunner and appoints Dr. Heinrich Oswald (formerly chief executive officer of Knorr) as Board of Directors' Delegate and Chief Executive Officer of the Ringier Group; merger of «Sie+Er» and «Schweizer Illustrierte Zeitung».

1969
Launch of «SonntagsBlicks», Switzerland's first Sunday newspaper; merger of «L'Illustré» and «Pour Tous».

1967
Launch of television program guide «Tele».

1960
Paul August Ringier dies. His only son, Hans Ringier, succeeds him as Chairman of the Board of Directors. The company employs a workforce of some 2,000.

1959
«Blick» appears for the ?rst time and is published by «AG für Presseerzeugnisse» with Ringier & Co. AG as a major shareholder. It is Switzerland's first tabloid newspaper - apart from the shortlived «Actualis» during World War II. The paper ruffies some feathers and causes fierce political opposition. «Blick» is Ringier's first daily newspaper.

1947
Heinrich Brunner employed by the company; he is soon promoted from Head Accounting and Finances to Chief Executive Officer and the owner's man of confidence.

1946
Launch of «Pour Tous».

1940
Acquisition of majority shareholding of the Jelmoli company from Swiss Bank Corporation (to safeguard the large catalog printing orders).

1930
Launch of «Blatt für Alle».

1929
Launch of «Sie+Er» weekly magazine.

1922
Launch of «Ringiers Unterhaltungsblätter» (for decades affectionately known as «Das Gelbe Heft», «The Yellow Magazine»).

1921
«L'Illustré» was launched in Frenchspeaking Switzerland, the counterpart to «Schweizer Illustrierte Zeitung».

1914
Swiss National Exhibition in Bern: Paul August Ringier presents the first gravure rotary printing press, which, to a large degree, was developed by himself, and was able to print text and illustrations in one production step. As a result of World War I, «Schweizer Illustrierte Zeitung» became a success in the readership market.

1911
«Schweizer Illustrierte Zeitung» appears for the first time, initially, in letterpress printing.

1910
Ringier obtains first order to print mail-order catalogues for Jelmoli department store.

1907
Paul August Ringier dissolves the partnership.

1902
Merger with Francke & Co. to form Vereinigte Buch- und Steindruckereien Ringier & Co., acquisition of «Schweizerische Allgemeine Volks-Zeitung», a company founded in 1884 by August Francke with another Zofingen printer, Jean Frey.

1898
Franz Emil Ringier dies unexpectedly at the age of 61. His son, Paul August Ringier, (22) succeeds him.

1885
First publishing failure: «Zofinger Wochenblatt» is discontinued.

1874
Founder Johann Rudolf Ringier dies and is succeeded by his son, Franz Emil Ringier. Acquisition of a Johannisberger rapid press.

1845
Introduction of image processing: the Druckerei Ringier print shop starts offering lithographic services.

1833
Johann Rudolf Ringier, the son of a parish priest, founded a book printing works in Zo?ngen. He produces official printed matter, curricula, regulations, etc., publishes «Zofinger Wochenblatt» and prints his first large project, the «Roggwiler Chronik».