The Ringier School of Journalism (known as «Jouschu» for short) is an institution in the Swiss media landscape that has provided many journalists with the basic tools and knowledge they needed to successfully break into the profession. The new director Peter Hossli follows a long line of highly experienced predecessors: Werner Meier (1974–1978), Franz C. Widmer (1979–1986), Manuel Isler (1987–1998), Fridolin Luchsinger (1998–2009), Jürg Lehmann (2009–2010) and Hannes Britschgi (2011–2022).
The School of Journalism, located on Römerhalde in Zofingen, was established in 1974 and is sponsored by the Hans Ringier Foundation.
Peter Hossli studied history, film studies and communications. In 1995, he was one of the founding members of the news magazine Facts. He spent a long time working as a freelance correspondent in the USA, providing on-the-ground coverage of five US presidential elections since 2000. After returning to Switzerland, he joined Ringier as a reporter for the magazine SonntagsBlick, before launching the iPad-specific magazine the collection for Ringier. Until 2017, he was head writer for the Blick Group and manager of the writers’ pool. His reports, investigative research, profiles and interviews revolve around politics, the economy and society. From 2018 to 2021, he worked on the SRF show «Club» as a producer and presenter. Peter Hossli is currently a reporter at NZZ am Sonntag. Alongside his career in journalism, he has also published two books.
«Peter Hossli is an exceptional journalist, a craftsman who really thinks about his profession», says Frank A. Meyer, Chairman of the Foundation Board of the Hans Ringier Foundation, «That’s exactly what we need to be teaching to the next generation of journalists. Peter Hossli can do that.»
«It’s a great honour for me to be taking over as Director of the Ringier School of Journalism», says Peter Hossli, «Journalism provides an important service to society. I want to give aspiring journalists a sense of responsibility, but above all I want to provide them with the tools they need to succeed, while igniting their joy and passion for the profession. I look forward to the challenge and would like to thank the foundation, its chairman Frank A. Meyer and Ringier for their trust.»
New Ringier School of Journalism course to start in August 2022
The next Jouschu course (2022-2024) will start on 22 August 2022. All information on the course content, teachers and trainee salary is available on the school’s website: www.ringierjournalistenschule.ch.
Graduates of the Ringier School of Journalism, which was founded as a training initiative by publisher Hans Ringier and its president Heinrich Oswald in 1974, include Arthur Honegger (presenter of 10vor10 at SRF), Christian Dorer (editor-in-chief of the Blick Group), Martin Beglinger (writer at NZZ ), Rita Flubacher (business journalist at Tages-Anzeiger), Peer Teuwsen (head of department at NZZ am Sonntag), Silvia Binggeli (former editor-in-chief of Annabelle and designated editor-in-chief of Schweizer Illustrierte) and Ueli Schmezer (presenter of Kassensturz at SRF). Publisher Michael Ringier and CEO Marc Walder also completed the training programme at the Ringier School of Journalism.
Ringier AG, Corporate Communications
About Ringier
Ringier AG is an innovative, digitalised and diversified Swiss media company operating in Europe, Asia and Africa. Its portfolio includes around 110 subsidiaries in the print, digital media, radio, ticketing, entertainment and e-commerce sectors and leading online marketplaces for cars, property and jobs. As a venture capital provider, Ringier supports innovative digital start-ups. Ringier, a family company founded in 1833 as a publishing house and printing plant, has invested consistently in digitalisation and global expansion in recent years. In 2020, the company’s some 6.800 employees, operating in 18 different countries, generated revenues of 953.7 million CHF. Today, 69 per cent of its operating profit already comes from digital, where Ringier is a leader among European media companies. Ringier’s core values are independence, freedom of expression and a pioneering spirit.