For upper class German-speaking Swiss, the newspaper of reference is without a doubt their beloved NZZ. And there’s some ground for this fondness, although you won’t find it in its conservative layout, where the editor seems to be keen on choosing the dullest pictures (never more than one per page). Here the name of the game is content, thoroughly researched and as seriös as can be. Sentences often stretch over 7 lines (with the verb coming last) and tables are preferred to graphs. One of the oldest newspapers in the world, the NZZ has been the main body of the Swiss liberal movement for over 220 years.

But this is a world-class newspaper, with 180 full time journalists, more than half of who are Doktor, and with over 45 foreign correspondents. People who can read German appreciate its independent stance on international political and economic analysis. As the leading business paper of a small country, the NZZ can cast a much more liberal eye on other nations’ issues, and usually does so with great insight. Its daily international edition is published in over 100 countries across five continents. For those who don’t read German, NZZ Online (www.nzz.ch) has an “English Window” link featuring English translations of their best articles.