NZZ am Sonntag: Departure in the knowledge section, which will soon disappear

At the beginning of October, NZZ announced that it would disband the previously independent knowledge division of NZZ am Sonntag (according to persoenlich.com). In the future, a large KST/Mobility division will provide reporting for all NZZ channels. As a result of this and other departmental consolidations, there would be “some job cuts,” as it was said at the time. To what extent is unknown, as details of the mergers are still being worked out, company spokeswoman Karen Heim said upon request.

“25 years is a good number to stop.”

However, there are two known departures from the knowledge department at NZZ am Sonntag, at least one of which is directly related to the prospective dissolution. Editor Theres Lüthi will leave the company at the end of January. The biology doctor has worked as a journalist at NZZ for 25 years, the last 17 in the Sunday edition’s knowledge section. With the decision to “dissolve the highly successful and perfectly functioning knowledge division at NZZ am Sonntag”, she quickly realized that “25 years is a good number and it is time for a change”, Luthi commented on her decision when asked about it. Personal.com. In February, the science journalist will travel to London for six months on a scholarship from the Landis & Geer Foundation. “After that, I am looking forward to new journalistic projects at home and abroad,” says Therese Luthi of her future plans.

Andreas Hirstein has worked in the Knowledge Section since the founding of NZZ am Sonntag in 2002, initially as editor and then since 2008 as head of the section. The physicist, who holds a doctorate, decided to leave the newspaper last July. “I am taking a new path, but I will remain connected to science and universities,” Hirstein wrote in response to a question.

Readers need

At the same time, the company emphasizes the strategic importance of knowledge and science topics. “The merger enables us to operate with greater expertise,” says company spokeswoman Karen Heim. In this way, NZZ responds to the need of its readers. As evidence of this, Heim cites an additional post created for the new newsletter “Wohl & Sein.”